Pope Francis has written, “Because all creatures are connected, each must be cherished with love and respect, for all of us as living creatures are dependent on one another.”

On a perfect day I walked a couple miles through a metropark. Twice I saw a single deer on the path. The first had an unusually broad fluffy white tail, which she modeled for my admiration. “Hello, Beautiful!” I greeted her. We stood just looking at one another, and I sensed she could catch my spirit. A communion of spirits. Another chance meeting occurred just a minute later. Another deer, this one a bit younger. Again my breath caught in admiration. “Hello, Beautiful!” Again, I felt some connection. Dependence goes beyond a food chain. Creatures are connected by beauty.