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Dear Friends, Desmond Morris had a point - in fact lots of points really. I’ve re-discovered this in the last couple of days. Desmond Morris was the chap who watched animal behaviour and drew parallels with human behaviour. I remember being annoyed by his assertions at the time, believing as I still do, that although humans are animals we are not merely animals. Anyway we have been looking after a couple of extra dogs – extra to our own dog and three cats that is. Don’t ask why we have three cats – it’s a long story and was just the way these things happen. At least they don’t seem to happen to most folk but they do to us. Anyway, what has been fascinating is watching the interactions or lack of them. Our dog is a bit put out but copes by ignoring the situation. Pretend it isn’t happening that’s the best way to deal with it. She bounces about when out with the other two – fusses us occasionally – does all she always does, as if the other two dogs on their leads just aren’t there – invisible. Like Nelson and his ‘I see no ships’. Of the three cats, one is a street fighter but only fights when there is a need, as she sees it; one is more timid and will react badly if cornered but otherwise hides; the third is a confident, independent spirit. This one, having been chased once, obviously decided to face up to things, She came slowly down stairs and faced the dog who had dared to chase her. She walked round him, gave him a very hard Paddington Bear type stare and a sniff in the face and slowly went back up the stairs. The dog looked decidedly repentant. The two visiting dogs have very different personalities from one another. They all remind me of the children when they were younger. Come to think of it, they still remind me of the young men I refer to as the children. The eldest ignored any situation that looked like getting him into bother – just disappeared off the scene. The middle one would stand and lose the head – getting himself into deeper and deeper water all the time. We all react to new or threatening situations in different ways. Some of us ignore it; some become aggressive; some hide and some face the problem square on. One sees the same reactions in international politics, a way of behaving that is often less than reassuring. God and Jesus constantly tell us not to be afraid. It is so often the first words heard when God approaches people. We are encouraged to trust in God’s love for us and to face up to the things that frighten and unsettle us. Pretending nothing is happening might be a way to deal relatively successfully with some problems, but in the end, it is not a Christian answer to the trials of life. So often what happens is that the difficulties grow, until we are in danger of being swamped. So with hiding – it is a short term expedient that sorts nothing. Becoming aggressive and trying to shout ones way out of trouble only raise the aggression of the other. I’ve watched a dog, we had some years back, create mayhem because she was afraid of other dogs. She snarled at them and caused a counter reaction. The frightened child or adult can bring about the things they are frightened of happening by anticipating trouble where none existed. So let us be bold in our faith and in our lives, holding on to the faith no matter what the circumstances. I knew my friends who take this magazine would not let me down. Mary Birch phoned the relevant information, Len Bovill sent an e-mail and Janet Baker sent a postcard with it on. I have to say though, that their responses, were outclassed by that of Andrew Buchanan. He dropped off the book with the appropriate references in the commentary and the text marked. I’m referring to my puzzlement over Cloud Cuckoo Land. It comes from ‘The birds’ by Aristophanes. It was the name given to Nephelococcygia. This was an imaginary city built by the birds in the air in the play. That’s something else I’ve learnt. Janice |