April 19, 2005

A friend sent me this beautiful article.

I wanted to share it with my readers to help remind us of the consciousness, compassion and tolerance found in humans and non-humans alike at times of crisis.

From Jim France of the Pavilion Hotel Group in Bangkok:

At a resort on Phuket, one of the most popular attractions is (was) elephant rides.

As many as eight people on one elephant, first into the surrounding forest, then down to the beach, to lunch at a fresh water lagoon, then back to the hotel.

The elephants (nine) were kept chained to in-ground posts, not because they needed to be, but because it made the mothers feel better. Their children seemed safe from a tromping when feeding the beasts.

About twenty minutes before the first wave hit, the elephants became extremely agitated and unruly.

Four had just returned from a trip and their handler's had not yet chained them.

They helped the other five tear free from their chains.

They all then climbed a hill and started bellowing.

Many people followed them up the hill.

Then the waves hit.

After the waves subsided, the elephants charged down from the hill, and started picking up children with their trunks and running them back up the hill; when all the children were taken care of, they started helping the adults.

They rescued 42 people. Then they returned to the beach and carried up four dead bodies, one of them a child.

Not until the task was done would they allow their handlers to mount them. Then with handlers atop, they began moving wreckage.

Many super-human and super-sentient capacities were exhibited through these wonderful elephant beings, including concern and compassion for one another and their fellow humans through the transitions they were going through.

For me, this is another sign that we will eventually awaken to recognizing the animals as our companions and conscious co-creators of life on earth, instead of beasts of burden, food and clothing.

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