Charlie Benfanti "Cows Deers, Pelicans and Crabs" Blog Post 13

 One reading from American Camino (that we also discussed in class) stuck with me. The discussion of the grooming cows and the fawn were reminders of the beautiful power of shared presence. The cows and the deer are reminders of the truest forms of love, partnership, and trust. Our relationship with animals is an incredibly interesting one, and I have had similar experiences that have reminded me of our interconnection. When I was solo-traveling in Malta, I walked 3 miles from my hotel along a dirt trail on my last night. I ended up at a cove, where I stopped for a sunset swim. After getting out of the water, I sat on a small bridge near the shore to watch the sunset and reflect on everything I had experienced that day. As I sat, a pelican landed next to me– about a foot away. I assumed he would have thought I had food for him, but he just sat and looked at me. We made eye contact for about 30 seconds before he settled in and looked out at the water. It is easy to attribute human traits to animals, thereby anthropomorphizing our interactions with them. But this was an incredible moment where I truly felt one with my surroundings, and earthly companions. To make the situation even more beautiful, a crab climbed up in between the pelican and I. We all sat and watched the sunset. I was the first to leave. (I know it seems remarkably far-fetched, but I do have photo proof of this encounter).


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