June 5, 2009 – While bicycling this morning, my husband and a companion came upon a severely injured, apparently stray dog lying in the road. After moving her out of further harm’s way, he returned with the car and took her to the vet’s where she was soon transported via injection to another happier world.
First, it is against the anti animal cruelty law to abandon an animal you have struck with your vehicle lying by the side, or worse, in the middle of the road. Against the law!
But why do we need a law to teach a human being about the right thing to do?
Socrates noted there are people who seem to be human beings; look like them, smell like them, but are not like them.
This female stray, still bearing the sagging teats of a mother, was left by some other being to suffer, be struck again, in the middle of the road.
It is a measure of humanness to be able to feel compassion. Given this type of behavior, it is no wonder our children are killing each other. They simply lack any measure of empathy or compassion – brought to this state by the adults who are charged with their care.
This is not a stretch in my mind. Time and again studies show we treat each other exactly as we treat our furry four-legged friends: without care, consideration or compassion.
A nine-year-old boy was cavalierly allowed to ride in the back of a pick up truck. It happens every day. He too died in the middle of the road.
What will it take for us to wake up and rise to the occasion of being complete and compassionate humans? What will it take?

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