Fortunately those of us who talk to our furry companions are not threatened with being hauled off to the Loony Bin for doing so. And while some of us are convinced Fluffy and Fido understand what we are saying few of us expect them to communicate in turn with articulate speech, though “feed me” and “pet me” come through very clearly, especially in the case of cats. Yet, when I stroll about outside the cat seems to actually enjoy my company and strolling with me just like the old dog I had on the mining claim here in the Kern River Valley when I was a boy. Why? I don’t know.

In a crazy world it continues to make some kind of sense to us and makes us feel warm all over when we see a TV segment of baby ducks being rescued and returned to their anxiously waiting momma duck. Part of that warm feeling is being aware the momma duck seems to be aware that the humans involved are trying to help her and her babies, that there is no intent to harm her babies. When kittens and puppies, any baby animals are rescued by humans we get that warm feeling that there is goodness to be found among us; and few things so stir our anger as to discover someone has been cruel to baby ducks, somehow we know those that would do such a thing must be some kind of monster, something distinct and apart from a human being. Jesus leveled the direst of warnings against those that would harm a child, and we seem to know intuitively that those that would be cruel to harmless little creatures like baby ducks will have the same satanic trait toward people, a diabolically inhuman trait that is not subject to any kind of “rehabilitation.”

It may be fortunate for us that the resident cat or dog cannot speak our language; we have the advantage of being able to talk to them without fear of a negative response. It doesn’t work that way talking to people where we often have to be very guarded and circumspect in our speech. Over the many years I have often found myself talking to some critter, much as I imagine my Cherokee ancestors did, giving vent to my innermost thoughts knowing the animal though being attentive would not betray my confidences. Very seldom do you find a person you can trust in like manner. This is one of the reasons animals figure prominently in many religions, why so many try to endow animals with human, even supernatural characteristics.

But I have never tried to communicate my thoughts about the hereafter with the resident cat or any other such creature. While I believe all life returns to the Creator of life, I just don’t expect animals to understand my thoughts on the subject. Perhaps because my many years of dealing with forest and farm animals never resulted in the kind of communications I would have with people it hasn’t crossed my mind that I should be looking to animals for answers to the many questions I have concerning the supernatural. In this I find myself departing from those like the ancient Egyptians for example; but I won’t attempt to disabuse those whose beliefs include things like cats being “familiars.” In some cases, people are having fun with such a thing and I wouldn’t think of intruding myself on the fun.

My son Michael and my friends like Mike and Byron know what I mean about living with “ghosts” and they are as likely to talk to the resident cat as I am when they visit. But I would understand their concern for me and couldn’t fault them if they called for the boys with butterfly nets if I ever told them that my ghosts or the resident cat were having real conversations with me; much as I have always avoided people who declare “God told me” and expect people to believe them. Whether it is God, ghosts, or the cat those of a rational mind are going to demand such claims be supported by incontestable evidence and rightly so.

But God does speak to me through the Bible and his Creation, and while I find these to be a far better resource even if Nancy Reagan did engage in séances I wouldn’t be finding fault with her, and if some believe in astrology that is their affair. Believers in such things are often among the best and brightest, the most well educated and are often trying to make sense of the lunatic world they find themselves in. It is only natural for people to reach out to the supernatural in an attempt to make sense of the craziness surrounding us, and I find comfort in lighting a candle and communing with my loved ones gone on before me. That I haven’t resorted to a Ouija Board or crystal ball doesn’t mean I have no sympathy with those who do credit such things, and we would be all the poorer without Abbott and Costello’s “The Time of Their Lives.”

Many of us reach out to the supernatural in an attempt to find comfort in our grief, to find a source of guidance, of understanding and hope in an evil world that makes little sense. What might be considered a milder form of lunacy among those who credit charms and amulets, séances, astrology or crystal balls can be entertaining, even bringing comfort to some. It is when such things become extreme and impinge on the lives of others adversely there is cause for real concern. Few would want to return to the Dark Ages of burning witches and heretics, though the Biblical warnings against things like witchcraft remain.

I really enjoy the old black and white movies of Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man; I even enjoy the Mummy films of Brendan Fraser, but I do not like the blood and gore in full color of the senselessly violent films. I like things that stir the imagination without the computer generated splatter of blood everywhere, and one of the more obvious signs of the end of this age to me is the growing violence against women and children, both in film and in reality.

If people are having fun with their beliefs or finding comfort in them without harm to anyone more power to them. If those of us who talk to our furry companions are not causing any harm by doing so, why would any complain? But since I believe we are now facing a new Dark Age one of the things I am growing increasingly sensitive to is the way people abuse animals as well as the way women and children are being abused.