What is it about Animal Lovers?

Found it very interesting that I asked for a favor today,
And, help arrived in the most unexpected way.
The help wasn't even for just myself,
But to raise awareness for MS which affects my health.

First I sent out requests to the people I know well,
The response was poor, as you probably could tell.
Then, I sent requests to all the Facebook dog lovers that I know,
The response each day continues to grow.

So, what is it about fellow animal lovers
That makes their compassion seem to rise above the others?
Is it perhaps that animal lovers learn from the pure spirit
Of the animals that gift them with such love so beyond any limit?

Thank you my "friends" for coming through to like the new "Fix MS Now" Facebook page.
And thank you from all of us that fight the MS battles that rage.
Multiple Sclerosis, and all of the autoimmune diseases out there,
Sometimes leave the sufferers wondering if people really care.

Once again the kindness of strangers reminds me of what it should be about.
Instead of the unnecessary violence that makes us scream and shout.
Keep spreading the love, pure and unconditional just like our pets.
Then each of us can leave this lifetime without feeling any regrets.

© Sheryl A. Skutelsky, 2012. All rights reserved.

http://www.Facebook.com/fixMSnow

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A Testament to the Human Soul

It may be true that only a fellow dog lover
Can truly grasp the pain of another,
When a beloved furry friend moves on
To whatever waits for their souls beyond.

Loved ones, friends, even a casual friend
Can be expected to comfort you in the end.
But I've recently learned an amazing truth,
I had absolutely no vision of in my youth.

For years now I've turned to social media like Twitter and Facebook
To share my passions and let others have a look.
Are they really "friends" in any sense of the word?
Is the question that I constantly heard.

Well, the outpouring of sympathy that I have received from these "friends" that I don't even really know,
Is such a beautiful testament to the goodness contained in many a human soul.

So, thank you to all of you that also mourn for the loss of my beloved dog, Snowy,
And have looked into your own hearts to try to comfort me.
But a special thank you, to all of you out there in cyberspace,
Who are a true reminder of the good we can do without ever seeing each other face to face.

© Sheryl A. Skutelsky, 2012. All rights reserved.

The Golden Rule

I was recently in the company of an old friend
Whose too common attitude could so easily offend.
He was hesitant to buy his residence near my own
Because there were too many people "different" than he had always known.

Funny that I'd just heard from Charles Osgood on radio news
That Dale Carnegie wrote over a hundred years ago to share some very relevant views.
He wrote about a concept considered to be common sense, but not a common act
A thing preached to our parents' parents as the golden rule, in fact.

"Love your neighbor" describes a two-way relationship, friend or stranger
Based on both sides seeing equality, not fear or danger.
Psychologically, this means empathy, not lack of concern
Philosophically, it involves perceiving others as equal in return.

Religion played an integral part in the history of the Golden Rule
Prominent figures and philosophers taught it in school.
This concept appears in many religions, including Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, to name a few
The Golden Rule can be found in some form in almost every ethical and traditional view.

So, why do we keep paying for books over the centuries that keep restating what we already comprehend
And why did my friend still fear moving to an area where people "different" from him represent a barrier he can not transcend?
It still comes down to that same old rule that becomes the key
Each individual has free will, no matter what race, religion, sex, or creed ... we each have a soul yearning to be spiritually free.

© Sheryl A. Skutelsky, 2012. All rights reserved.

Sheryl's Story

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Elevator Behavior

Ever walk into an elevator with a stranger
And notice an immediate sense of danger?
You look straight ahead or to both of the sides
But you never ever look them right in the eyes.

Try to notice two apes in a cage at a zoo
You'll see it's the same exact thing that they do.
They say that it's in our genes as a way to avoid a threat
But humans have evolved and should have a better mind set.

If our eyes are truly windows to our soul
Perhaps we should try testing a new way to grow.
What if we were to ignore what nature has brought,
And rise above what the prejudice and judgement have taught.

Try it next time when you're alone with someone you don't know
How far above your comfort level are you willing to go?
Speak to that person and look right at their eyes
Push aside the awkward insecurity that everyone despises.

Reach deep into your own soul, smile and speak a few kind words
Doesn't really matter what you say as long as you're heard.
You might just find that the kind words you made the effort to say
Are just what that soul next to you really needed to hear that day.

© Sheryl A. Skutelsky, 2012. All rights reserved.