A book that allows you to slowly discover new insights into life while spending time with companion animals! “Sister Joanne’s Animal Friends.” The reason we fight so fiercely to live our lives may well be the process of overcoming our individual wounds. And in that process, we grow into our whole selves. This is because every time we are wounded, we are given the opportunity to learn more about ourselves. “A wound is not the end of everything, but the beginning.” Unless we decide to end it, we

We must learn how to simply enjoy being alive. Society can explore new possibilities while seeking joy. Thus, we come to realize that resolving current stress is more important than resolving stress carried over from the past. We all get hurt as we live. We cannot live a whole life without getting hurt. Even the fierce struggles of life may be a process of overcoming wounds. Only then can we acknowledge and accept what we have done so far. Wounds are not the end of everything, but the

A book sharing the insights Sister Joanne Chittister gained while living with her companion animals! Through this book, I wanted to show the role that animal companions play in the process of developing our spiritual lives. The animal friends who have been with me have drawn out the self trapped within me and awakened a new dimension of meaning in life. They presented me with a vision far greater than the one I had spent time creating on my own. As you read this book, let us look for

This is a heartwarming book. It is not about value judgments or theoretical clarity, but rather about the principles found in animals that are faithful to their nature, following the Lord's order. It also points out a reality that has turned into a reversal, where the understanding of natural relationships is newly recognized and the insight to remain faithful to one's nature is gained. As a cat lover, I often find myself drawn to passages that resonate with me, and I express my renewed

The author's pets are so adorable that it makes me want to try living with a pet myself. It reminds me of a brother from a past prayer group who raised a dog. He used to compare his relationship with his dog to his relationship with God. This book brings to mind the saying, "God is in everything."

This was by far the best of the dozen or so books I’ve read recently—no, of all the books I’ve read this year. It is not a religious, faith-based, or philosophical book; rather, it brings the small, everyday moments experienced while raising pets into human life, writing with depth and insight, yet in an easy-to-understand and comfortable style. It is truly a book worth reading again and again.