Smokey is our grey cat. He has a little bit of white on him. He loves to hang out inside and outside our house. This is his story from my perspective. This healing brought new meaning to me about God’s loving care of His creation including animals. Truth really does communicate with love and healing to all creatures.
Earlier this summer I was outside with our dog Bolo talking with a neighbor who had recently adopted a dog from the animal shelter. Our dogs were getting along well and had played briefly together. Suddenly the neighbor’s dog took off like a shot (it may be the fastest I’ve ever seen a dog run!) headed toward my house. My neighbor mentioned that he “must be after something.” With horror I realized that “something” was our cat Smokey who was innocently hanging out in the garden area on the side of our house. He never saw the dog coming. Our dog also ran to see what was happening.
We hurried to the scene yelling at the dogs and by the time we got there Smokey was fighting back the neighbor’s dog as best he could, then managed to get away to cover behind a nearby fence. My neighbor felt terrible and had no idea that their new dog would attack a cat.
Later Smokey came slinking back to the house. I picked him up to comfort him and realized he was injured. He spent the next couple of days quietly in corners under beds upstairs. He did not eat or drink. Meanwhile my husband and I were praying to see the Truth in this situation—to see what God was communicating, not what physicality or human fear was “barking” at us.
We knew that Smokey was innocent and that although the other dog was “on the hunt” in a way that most believe is natural to members of the animal kingdom, this attack wasn’t right and we lodged our mental protest. This included forgiving the other dog and declaring his right to be free from a destructive tendency. Smokey improved a little after a couple days and began to venture out from his hiding places and eat and drink just a little.
About this time our neighbor friend who owned the dog, after realizing that Smokey had been injured, came over with gifts and treats for Smokey. She was very upset and through tears informed us that they (she and her husband) were getting a muzzle for their new dog and had signed him up for obedience classes. Amid hugs my husband and I assured her that Smokey would be alright and that we’d already seen some improvement. She also offered to pay for any vet bills which we told her was not necessary. We were grateful to have such caring neighbors and knew that nothing could tarnish this loving sense of community.
Then things “went south” quickly. Smokey could not eat or drink and began showing symptoms that were frightening. There was evidence of internal injuries. His breathing was labored and unnatural sounds were emitting. Over the next few days he seemed to be wasting away. My husband called a church friend for prayerful support who dearly loves animals and has given numerous testimonies of healing at Wednesday night church services. My husband was struggling with the possible perception from our neighbors that we did not properly take care of Smokey by taking him to the vet. We both continued to pray knowing that these fears needed to be removed to aid the healing.
We both knew that the evidence of the material senses is a false picture of God’s creation. In Science and Health, page 386:2 Mary Baker Eddy says, “Realize that the evidence of the senses is not to be accepted in the case of sickness, any more than it is in the case of sin.” Smokey was innocent. I wondered what Smokey’s concept of himself was. I suddenly thought that perhaps he was chastising himself for not being as alert as he had been in the past or harboring a false concept of getting older. I realized that my thoughts about Smokey and his own had to match God’s and that meant that he was a whole, complete vibrant, ageless, unharmed idea of God. He could not have slipped out of this natural state, no matter what the material evidence.
Early one evening Smokey managed to climb up onto my lap while I was sitting on the couch. I was reading Science and Health and began reading aloud to him from the Chapter on Science of Being. I felt the truth and power of the words. Suddenly the thought came to me, “The wolf shall lie down with the lamb . . .” I knew this was a paraphrase of a quote from the Bible and later looked it up. It’s from Isaiah 11:6, which reads, “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” What this angel message was telling me is that God’s harmonious law was in action here and that it was the only law. The injury that appeared from an attack of the neighbor dog just did not fit into the natural order of things under God’s law. This is very different than the laws of nature, so called.
I was in awe and humbled as I watched Smokey jump down and go to his water dish and drink for probably 30 seconds straight, and then he moved to his food dish and ate. The breathing was returning to normal and the harsh sounds associated with the internal injuries were suddenly greatly reduced and disappeared entirely over the next couple of days. I was witnessing God’s law in action and the natural adjustments were rapidly taking place. I was joyous! My husband came home from a meeting and I was able to share this grand news! We have been so grateful for this healing lesson.
Smokey has a renewed sweet relationship with me. He climbs on our bed at night and sleeps next to me regularly now, nuzzling my hair and snuggling close. He knows he has felt Love’s (God’s) presence and he continues healthy and happy.
I have experienced numerous healings, including physical (these range from instantaneous healings of flu symptoms to a lump in my breast), relationship-related, problems associated with a lack of income, housing, and other human challenges. Even so, this experience with Smokey stands out as an inspiration.
MLR
