Disgrace

Witness the healing power of nature!

In the book Disgrace, David Lurie finds a “redeeming sense of compassion” (X75) from his experience at an animal clinic, where he helps end the lives of diseased and unwanted dogs. His past is riddled with sexual crimes and hapless circumstances, yet this experience at the animal clinic seems to heal him. I have written in the past of the power of nature, and I truly believe that there exists a healing component in nature.

Nature is not necessarily a “world at peace” (X123), but it is the closest that we, as humans, can come to being able to rid ourselves of the “old wickedness” (X123), or the manmade evils in the world. Only in nature can we find and satisfy our internal need for peace by “giving oneself to the world, or to an idea of the world.” (X87) It requires that we shed our human worries and egotistical thoughts, instead giving wholly to the one thing that always gives to us.

Nature requires from us reverence and passivity. It is a chance for us to watch and listen, to be at peace inside instead of our usual impulse to be racing from one thing to the next.

Babe is an example of the enduring relationship between humans and animals.

Most of all, nature needs us to love. This can be most apparent in our relationship with animals, for example, Lurie’s experience with the animals he kills: “He has learned by now, from her, to concentrate all his attention on the animal they are killing, giving it what he no longer has difficulty in calling by its proper name: love.” (X91) There is a certain amount of humility and self-deprecation that nature requires from us, and in our love for animals, we can truly find the pure and unadulterated love that we so long for.

How can you say no to these puppies?

In regards to pets, I find that it is one of the greatest tests of the human’s capacity to be empathetic and responsible. A pet is something that is entirely dependent on you—a domestic dog cannot feed itself if you do not put its food out, and a cat cannot quench its thirst if you do not give it water. A pet gives itself to its owner, serving him or her with loyalty, love, and faith, and the owner must reciprocate by giving the pet the best life possible. While separated by different languages, thought patterns, and physical abilities, the owner and his or her pet are connected by love, and a mutual duty to serve each other.

This video, called Christian the Lion, shows the enduring love between humans and an animal of seemingly dangerous demeanor.