From
Phil’s first high school job to present, he’s spent his career working with
clients, explaining complex ideas in an easy to understand manner. In addition Phil enjoys exploring the world
and sharing those adventures via writing, photography, and videography.
Phil’s
credits include, multiple certifications, Reiki master, photographer, author of
two blogs, author of a travel column, creates short segments for a local T.V.
station and whatever else he can get into.
Kirkus
Review:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/philip-johnsey/climb-that-fence-and-take-that-leap/
I asked Phil if he had five things he wish every pet owner knew. Here are his answers below. And Phil, thank you for joining us here today!
Hi! Thank you for the opportunity to swing on by. This
topic really made me think more than expected, which I always enjoy. Here are
five things I wish every pet owner knew.
In no particular order…..
11. Pets
have distinct personalities:
That may sound obvious, but if you
pay attention, you’ll see they’re very much like people. Some are very easy
going and just float along; others demand a lot of attention and will let you
know if they don’t get it, some just are playful. For example, Edmund is easy
going and mild whereas Amanda needs lot of attention and validation.
2
We’ve all seen stories of pets
alerting owners to fires or other in home physical dangers. Pets can also sense
things about people. I’ll never forget the evening my mild mannered, laid back
cat decided to have a stare down with a guest. As soon as this guy sat down,
Keiko climbed onto the coffee table and just stared at him. She didn’t move an
inch and was directly in front of me. The guy became very uncomfortable and
even noted he had never had a cat stare him down like that. Keiko wasn’t moving
at all and we couldn’t budge her. Later on this guy’s true colors shown and he
was not someone we wanted to be around. Keiko
was dead on in sounding the alarm.
33. Pets
are intuitive:
Similar to number two, pets can
read us and know what we need. I know when I’m not feeling well or sad both
cats will come and stay near me. What’s even more interesting is times I’m
quite upset and one will just walk up, rub against me and
just stand there. As if to say, “it’ll be fine, I’m here”. On a fun note, the other morning I was
thinking to myself "this would be a good day to take a sick day”. I never said
a word, but as soon as I thought it, both of the cats excitedly ran around the
house and then headed for the door waiting to be let out. It’s like they knew: Daddy’s home today, we
get to hang out on the porch.
44. Pets
have feelings and emotions:
We all know pets can be happy. Just
wave a ball in front of a dog! Yet I’ve seen them display sadness after another
pet passed away. I particularly remember a time when Edmund kept trying to get
out of the fence and I finally fixed all the escape routes. He just lay on the patio, as if he had no
purpose. He didn’t seem to care much about anything else. Even eating was
routine. I changed the patio where he could explore and the life instantly came
back. If you want to experience this first hand, take a walk in a shelter and
see the animals that are just lying there. Wondering what happened to their
owner, will someone take me home?
55. Pets
need attention and love:
This sounds too obvious, but often
life can get in the way and we end up giving them food and water and that’s
it. It’s amazing how they wake up when
you give them a little brushing, or spend some extra time with just them. When you give them love and attention, they
totally wake up and then show you more affection. It’s a cycle that is worth
continuing.
In summary, I’d say that pets are
more like people than we think. They have feelings, emotions, personalities,
and a special bond with their owners.
Edmund blasts across the yard against my calls to come in. He
gleely runs off and I chase him across the grass only to find a unique
butterfly or a sky filled with stars. As soon as I stop and admire, Edmund
promptly comes to my side and rubs against me.
Do you ever wonder if there is more to your pet's behavior than
meets the eye? Sometimes their antics
are more than just random behavior. Can
we learn something about ourselves by watching them?
I believe so and Climb that Fence and Take that Leap is a compilation
of personal, inspirational animal stories and the life lessons I gleaned from
them.
After enjoying these stories, hopefully you'll enjoy more quality
time with your furry friend and know what it takes to Climb that Fence and Take
that Leap!
AN EXCERPT
Unconditional love isn’t always
easy:
You remember how I said I’d spend
more time with her? That became very difficult as the disease progressed. The
sickening smell, the drool, and the wet fur made it hard to be near her, let
alone pet her.
Whenever she came up to me, there
was always a puddle or mark left from her drooling on me or rubbing against me.
Anything she laid on or was near captured that smell.
Then one day I looked at her, and
she just looked so pitiful. How could I not show this cat who’d been with me
eighteen years some love? That was just being selfish and mean. I grabbed some
old towels and began to hold her frequently. She just loved it. As soon as I
picked her up, she’d just purr away. Yeah, the stink would get through onto my
clothes, but that was OK. It was worth it.
It had always been easy to hold her
when she was clean. Now that she was stinky and sick was when she needed that
affection the most. As much as I loved my cat, there were days where it was
difficult to be close to her. Often I’d get upset with her, and I knew that it
was my frustration coming out. I just wanted to help her be well.
MY REVIEW
Johnsey takes the story a step further, however, into what Keiko taught him about living each day to its fullest and making every moment count.
He also tells of a turtle he rescued who became a pet and family member, and how the turtle discovered the world beyond his fenced courtyard. While some owners would see the digging under the gate as a nuisance, Johnsey took the role of an observer, discovering why the turtle wanted to explore its world and deepening his bond with this unlikely pet. The result is how much this turtle taught him about broadening his horizons, taking on challenges and never giving up.
A truly heartwarming story is one in which he found sea turtles digging their way out of the sand and making their way to the beach, encountering rocky outcrops and terrain that threatened their lives. Only the size of quarters, he watched and assisted without taking from their unique experiences and tenacity to reach the sea. There were stories of waves pushing them back, of imprints in the sand that swallowed the baby turtles, of rocky ledges with four foot drops, and much more - but their determination to reach the sea and survive was an amazing, inspiring story.
There are many of these stories in which Johnsey observed animal behavior and applied their attitude, problem-solving and tenacity to our own lives, our own challenges and the worlds we make for ourselves. The result is learning how to excel in this life and perhaps, in the process, becoming the type of human that our pets believe us to be.
This is a quick read, if you're looking for entertainment. But it's much more than that: it's a reference book to return to time and again, to re-read the lessons and learn how to apply various principles to our own lives.
Highly recommended reading.
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