Why Content Counts: Art Changes Lives

There is no question that we humans have a profound effect on our shared planet and have made some pretty brilliant and some pretty stupid decisions over the past several centuries.

We need to attempt to learn from both the good and the bad. And I think many of us try to do this (challenging as it is with all of our other responsibilities).

But what is it that we can learn from other creatures on the earth? Certainly we are able to look at contributions to the earth in terms beyond physical skills or mental acuity…(the same mental acuity that would allow us to essentially destroy the shared space we live in—don’t forget). Are there other attributes to admire, learn from and even emulate? Yes- Many.

Anyone who has spent time with animals does not have to be told how much joy and happiness they bring into our lives- but that is not why they are on this planet…to slavishly make our lives better places to be.

Is competing, ranking and judging the only way we can perceive value and contribution? All you need to do is watch a mother Robin guarding her nest, feeding her hatch-lings and eventually coaxing them to fly out on their own; see a mother Koala carrying her little cub around on her back or belly for months and months until s/he is able to walk, climb and eat on his or her own; or a heard of Elephants with a new calf, fawning and doting and all making certain he grows and lives a healthy Elephant life. They are magnificent nurturers. That is something we all share.

What else can we learn? Animals don’t worry as much as we do, they seem magnificently well adapted to deal with and anticipate danger (we generally run head-long into it) and they don’t fear death. Believe me; it is not because they are unaware that death happens…anyone who has seen a heard of Elephants mourning one of their dead will see something extraordinary. And this is true of many animals.

Domesticated animals become our partners and helpers, and they make as many choices (believe it or not) in the animal/human relationship as we do.

We love animals as a topic for children’s art because we know how many lessons they teach us about life and love and nurturing. We know that what we surround our children with has a huge impact on their understanding of the world and their roles in it. There is no question about this.

Lola's Lions and Lilly's Lions above can be found at www.lillunia.com