Today’s guest blogger is assistant editor Daniel Kessel.
Recently on Facebook, we shared the story of Eclipse, a Labrador in Seattle who taught herself to ride the bus. Eclipse wasn’t just a one-time rider–according to her fellow passengers, the pup has become a regular fixture on the route.
"All the bus drivers know her,” fellow commuter Tiona Rainwater told KOMO News. “She sits here just like a person does."
Then there’s Macavity, a commuter cat over in Walsall, England. According to the Daily Mail, Macavity learned to board the same bus almost every day and get off near a local fish and chip shop, politely minding his own business all the while.
How in the world did these animals learn to ride public transit? I probably shouldn’t admit this to my fellow New Yorkers, but I have a hard enough time getting around on the subway myself.
I’ve gotten lost. I’ve missed my stop more than once because I was so engrossed in whatever I was reading at the time. Not to mention that I have a knack for losing valuable objects down in the tunnels: my backpack, a notebook, even my wallet.
Eclipse and Macavity can’t read a route map or a bus schedule, but they’ve got it all figured out.
I asked associate editor Diana Aydin what she made of the phenomenon. “I think these animals have something special,” she said. “A gift from God.”
I wasn’t sure if I agreed. Maybe it was just a means of keeping warm or getting food, as some psychologists theorize.
As I pondered the question, I checked a favorite music website for new releases. Modest Mouse, a Seattle-based rock group I love, had just published a new music video for a song called “Coyotes.” I clicked “Play.”
The song tells the story of a coyote that walks onto a light rail car at the airport and takes a ride downtown–based on a real event that occurred in Portland, Oregon, back in 2002. I couldn’t believe it. The music video dealt with the very subject I’d been thinking about all week!
There was something beautiful about seeing this wild animal’s “commute” in action, the coyote hopping on the empty train, taking in his surroundings and getting off to explore the city.
The more I watched, the more I reflected on what Diana had said, that these animals have a “gift from God.” Not simply the ability to navigate public transit, but the ability to insert themselves into our busy lives and grab our attention.
We often transform our environment to suit our desires and ignore the needs of our animal counterparts. Perhaps these furry fare-beaters are God’s way of reminding us that while we take for granted the modern conveniences that make our lives easier, we still have a responsibility to give our animal friends a lift. This is their world too.
What about you? Has God ever used an animal to send you a much-needed spiritual message? Share your stories with us!
