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In God's Hands
It seems as though I've always been
Aware of how they feel
Their fear, their worry, grief and pain
To me are all too real
So unlike most, who'd rather think
That it will all work out
Within my mind, I have this sense
This nagging trace of doubt
And it's that sense that makes me act
To know what I must do
I pay attention to the words
"To thine own self, be true"
When animals are in harm's way
It's second nature now
To make the choice to intervene
No matter when or how
When people say, "It's in Gods' hands"
And leave things up to fate
I feel compelled to act instead
And hope it's not too late
A rule of thumb that's good to know
And use in daily life
Is how you'd feel and what you'd do
If it was YOU in strife
Would you turn away from food or drink
Though without them you would die?
Would you let yourself be beat to death
And know, when asked, they'd lie?
Would you choose to sleep in rain or snow
Or walk bare skinned on ice?
Would you rather be infested with
Fleas, ticks, worms, mange or lice?
Would you ever wear a collar that
That was far too small for you?
Would you be perplexed that no one cared, as
Into your skin it grew?
And if you knew that you must eat
But all you had was slop
Would you eat the scraps of garbage that
Into your bowl they'd drop?
If you got caught in a metal trap
Would you chew off your own limb?
Or lay there quietly suffering
Till your head began to swim?
Would you let somebody torture you
Or taunt you with a stick?
Would you be afraid if a group of kids
Came at you with a brick?
Would you be depressed if just because
You weren't still cute and small
Those who owned you threw you out
And didn't care at all?
If you were sick and needed help
But that help would cost money
Would you be sad if those in charge
Thought your situation funny?
And if you were supposed to fight
Another of your kind
Just for money and for sport
Do you think that you would mind?
Would you want it in Gods' hands to choose
Which horrors you would face?
And as the chips were left to fall,
Would you just stay in your place?
Or living these nightmares, would you pray
For one to come along
And with a word or action start
To right these awful wrongs?
You're thinking that it's not humane
To put you in a place
Where you'd have no say in how you lived
Nor see a friendly face.
The same is true for animals
Who'd never put us through
The things that I have mentioned here
Their hearts are much too true.
By seeing wrongs in daily life
And striving for a way
To intervene and make them right
Gods' will is done each day.
We are each blessed with our special gifts
And with these gifts we need
To take responsibility
And when we have to, lead.
It's true God has things in his hands
But every now and then
He likes to see what we can do
And when we act, we win.
So be that God-sent helper that
Their prayers are asking for
And when you see needs, great or small
Please do not just ignore
Assuming it will all work out,
Without your taking part.
Just see what they are going through
And listen to your heart.
Just do what you think God would want
And helping Him, take part
But when we act in his name we
Must finish what we start.
Written by Deborah Solano on July 5, 2005, on behalf of all animals who are enduring or have suffered man's inhumanity.
Deborah Solano, Mt. Wolf, Pa.
