Yesterday, I was driving down the road, and there was a dead bird on the side of the road. As always, I said a prayer for the bird.
My prayer for dead animals goes something like this: “Bless you, [bird], for giving your life in the name of technology. You were doing exactly what [birds] do, not knowing that cars and other types of vehicles would get in your way of routine. I witness your sacrificed death and Bless your Soul as you pass on to the next world.”
I have been doing this for years, blessing dead animals. It is a silent prayer. I don’t usually share it with others. When the kids were younger, I would say it out loud, for their benefit. I wonder if they remember that? I wanted them to understand that all animals are sacred, just as humans are sacred. We all come from God.
In the book I am reading, Breakfast with Buddha, as the man and Buddha drive across country, the man notices Buddha’s lips moving each time they pass a dead animal on the side of the road.
I can relate to that.