CREATIVE THINKING: Blessing of animals lifts our spirits
The midday sun appeared multi-colored after passing through the enormous stained glass windows, bouncing prisms of light onto the stone walls and floors of the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine. Debra and I had invited a small group of friends to travel with us to New York City to attend the The Blessing of the Animals.
We were all excited, but for one attendee it was a longtime dream. We organized the trip to take our dear friend, Edwina Barnes, to this special ceremony in honor of her 75th birthday. The timing was perfect since her birthday is in October.
Most local people know that Edwina's name is synonymous with humanitarian work, not only in our city, but also on a state and national level. If you have somehow missed her anthem of support for all of God's creatures, she gladly welcomes the opportunity to share it with you.
It was her infectious crusade for animal rights that lured me into offering my help during the last 30 years. There's not enough room in my column to give her decades of work justice, so I'll just say this: She has relentlessly used her platform to speak on behalf of the animals that have no voice.
To say she was excited to be at the cathedral would be an understatement. Side by side we sat in a prime place right next to the aisle.
I'm quite sure the priest with whom I spoke a couple of months earlier wished he had not answered the phone the morning I called. I took a deep breath and shared our plans to bring Edwina to the ceremony. He didn't utter a word as I rambled on and on about why I needed to secure tickets before we booked flights and hotel rooms.
When I finished my story, he still remained silent. "I like your accent," were his first words after the pause. "I've never done this before but I'm going to grant your wish and mail you tickets." I was so excited I didn't even get his name as I gave him my address. I couldn't wait to tell Edwina, Debra and the rest of the group.
Weeks passed and no tickets arrived. Debra and Edwina mentioned them with concern as the days until the trip quickly ticked by.
"He'll send them," I said with confidence in my voice. Secretly, even I was beginning to wonder. A couple of weeks before our trip I received an envelope with the tickets. Little did we know we would be treated like royalty.
Being ushered into a side entrance, bypassing the hundreds of people waiting to get tickets, would normally make me feel bad but, in celebration of Edwina's 75th birthday, we proudly took our special seats.
Besides the vast space of the cathedral, the first thing we noticed was the dogs and cats sitting reverently throughout the crowd. They waited patiently for the service with the rest of us. Only the occasional woof echoed through the audience when another dog passed a little too close for comfort.
Dancers in festive and brightly colored outfits came from every nook and cranny. Trumpets sounded while drums punctuated the beat of the glorious music that filled the massive cathedral. Beautiful words were offered and songs were sung. Joy surrounded us that morning leaving smiles on our faces and hope in our hearts.
Anticipation got the best of us as we glanced behind us several times in hopes of catching a glimpse of the animals. Huge, colorful flags shaped like majestic birds flew on poles throughout the cathedral. We knew the time was near, as the huge front doors of the cathedral opened and the processional began.
Wearing crisp white robes, people carrying or leading animals began to walk the long aisle to the front. There were birds of all kinds -- white doves, peacocks, a graceful swan, colorful parrots, an owl and a falcon. We had a bird's eye view as they passed right by us.
A donkey and monkey were just as proud to be there as the miniature horse and an elegant white stallion. Garlands of flowers formed colorful wreaths around their necks. Three adorned sheep walked past, as did a camel. A huge turtle was pulled by on a decorated cart. A plump pink pig squealed as it passed us, and I squealed a little when a snake joined the pack. The amazing thing to me was that the animals seated in the congregation didn't make a sound as they turned to watch the other animals pass.
There were more creatures both great and small than I can even try to mention. It was truly a gorgeous, epic event that none of us will soon forget. I felt that I was either present at the manger scene or aboard Noah's Ark.
One thing is certain. If you were sad or troubled when you stepped into this holy place, you certainly didn't leave that way. Not only were the animals blessed, but so were we.
Mark Ballard's column runs each week in The Telegraph. Send your questions or comments to P.O. Box 4232, Macon, GA 31208; call 478-757-6877; email markballard@cox.net; follow him at instagram.com/markcreates; or become a subscriber to Mark's Facebook page.
This story was originally published October 17, 2015 at 4:55 PM with the headline "CREATIVE THINKING: Blessing of animals lifts our spirits ."