All Creatures Great and Small

All Creatures Great and Small, by James Herriot. Have you heard of this book series, dear reader?

I recall reading at least one of Mr. Herriot's books many moons ago, and a feeling of joy washed over me when a sweet friend recommended I watch the adapted to video version of these stories. 

Mr. Herriot is a veterinary (that is what the locals call him), and his life revolves around his work by: caring for sick and injured animals, maintaining healthy ones, delivering new life into the world, and problem solving when things aren't quite right with a critter.  While on, and often times off duty, he can be relied upon to get up and go, no matter the circumstances or situation, to assist an animal owner that needs a healing or helping hand for their beast or pet. The man, James Herriot, is a dedicated human, and he endures many a challenge in his life's work, not the least of which is insults and insinuations from the ingrates he serves. But then, dear one, we can see him being treated cordially, with the utmost respect, and with admiration too, from clients that are kind and gracious, and see the man for who he is.  

Personality is what shows up all over the place in the episodes. Each character, each animal and human, has personality! It is personality that sets them apart, and has them behaving in unbecoming, and often times endearing ways. Personality coupled with engrained character traits, moves the observer in this direction and that, as we watch and look for consistency. Pranksters consistently prank, the deluded are ever so cleverly deluded, the kind can be counted on to consider others, and the mean spirited selfishly think only of themselves, no matter the cost. Through it all, there is aplomb, as the main characters accept who people are, serve them regardless, and look always to affect the best outcomes possible with their service offering. 

One of the things I enjoy most when I watch All Creatures Great and Small, is the reactions of the characters. James Herriot is a sweet and gentle man, but he does not tolerate his integrity being insulted, and will challenge a person when they imply he is incompetent: he stays up nights, thinking of solutions, ways to help and heal, but he never shares this truth with his patrons. The people closest to him know how dedicated he is. In the bosom of family, he is loved. It is fun to watch this gentile character chase a dog that got his goat, or speed across the country side to deliver a cat in a box, that he spayed for a wealthy woman that prefers to keep her cash and feign poverty, than to pay a man for his honest work. Facial expressions, and as I mentioned above, the reactions of characters, make this show delightful to watch. 

We are creatures, dear reader. Separate from animals, we humans have the capacity to help, to heal, to work together for the good of one another, and the animals in our lives. When I consider the glamour less work of the veterinarians in the show I describe, and how ready and willing they are to go out to a call no matter the time of day or night, no matter the weather, and regardless of how tired they may already be, I see love in action. 

Love for humanity and the creatures God created, is displayed in this heart warming series. Within the title of the series based on the original books, there exists a double entendre that perhaps was hinted at by the author: all creatures can be great, or small, and this is not necessarily a measure of physical size. The small minded, those that attempt to diminish others, are treated with kindness by the great and humble humans that serve them without thanks or reward. And the grand humans, that see the good, foster the good, desire to contribute in a good and wonderful way, are the great ones that leave the impression that perhaps, heaven is near. 

Is heaven near, dear one? Can you sense it, can you feel it? Today is December 25th, 2022. What does this day mean to you?

God created all creatures, great and small. That is love in action. God sent His one and only begotten Son, the Saviour of the world, as a babe to be our King. He knows each of us all too well, including our personalities and propensities, our ingrained character traits. God is always on duty, and answers our call, no matter the time, the circumstances, the situations we find ourselves in. He is a lot like the veterinary, tolerant of our rudeness, our thanklessness, our dismissing of His competence to help and heal us ... He is still willing, more than able, to come to our side in our times of need, without pointing out how very undeserving we are. 

This is the day the LORD has made; 

We will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24)

Let this be your approach, dear one, this day, and every day we are graced with by Him, the One that made us.