an animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language. this is how philosopher martin buber honored the fuzzy family members who light up our lives. for those of us blessed to care for these beings, we know firsthand that they're not only the best listeners, but also our tiniest teachers (like the little lady in this photo, a 10-pound cheagle named wilma who happens to be my best friend and part-time therapist). we human doings endlessly benefit from the effortless pointing to presence offered by these cozy companions, who never waste time worrying about what happened (or more wasteful, might), merely immersing themselves in the miracle of a moment. this isn't to say animals don't suffer from fear and stress like we do - they're mammals, not machines. but they suffer significantly less because when their threat is thwarted, they go back to living whereas our mind keeps maddening itself away in catastrophes that couldn’t happen. most of us take great pride when sharing the rescue stories of our beloved friends, but let us never forget the immeasurable acts of love they lull us with in return. we may give animals a good home, but do they ever give us a good heart. 📸: my bff, wilma (aka "the regal cheagle")