Today is the Vernal Equinox, the first day of spring, and though a few copies trickled out early, this is the auspicious official publication date of the book. Spring is here, with all its freshness and vitality. Time to wake up, come alive, see the world with beginner's eyes.
Avid readers were spotted standing in line outside bookstores in droves waiting for them to open--way more than were at Trump's inauguration. Or maybe that's just alternative facts, but there were very, very, many good creatures there. Many are already sending happy photos of themselves with the book. I never expected such diversity in readers and am highly appreciative of the canine and feline populations' response to the book. Not sure they're actually reading it but their love of it truly crosses all borders between God's creatures big and small.
Initial responses from them are favorable. They say this is a good book, full of warm, teaching stories and wisdom of elders of various cultural traditions. And there's nothing like a good story. But they are also saying that it's full of stuff we already know, this is the way we live, as dogs and cats. It's the humans who forgot how to have fun, are always busy, checked out in a virtual world, and full of fear of each other and their own existence.
It's the humans who need to remember who they are and why they are here. It's the humans who need to be reminded of their souls and to experience being part of the natural world and cycle of birth and death. It's the humans who need to learn how to be mindful, awake, aware, alive, and compassionate, realizing their connection to each other and to other creatures, like us.
So I'm thinking that it's not a book so much for non-human animals, but maybe it's a book that can help human beings, and we sure need help.