Book lists "1001 Ways to Do Good"… for animals, too

“You don’t have to be a religious person, a humanist, or a social scientist to understand that a mitzvah or good deed that eases the suffering of another benefits not only the receiver but also the larger society,” writes Meera Lester in the introduction to her book 1001 Ways to Do Good (Adams Media).

She goes on to list many ways—1001 to be exact—in which almost anyone can do good deeds large and small. And an entire chapter of them is devoted to animals.

“Adopt a pet from an animal rescue organization,” is the first thing Lester suggests, and continues with more such as:

• “Visit a shut-in with your cat or dog.”

• “Establish a wildlife refuge in your garden. All you need to do is supply three things: a protected area where birds can nest, food (living plants as well as seeds, nuts, berries…), and clean water (bird batch, fountain, etc.). Watch as your little sanctuary fills with life and love.”

• “Brake for squirrels.”

• “Treat your pets with love. Simple acts of admiration for your pets will make them feel appreciated. Give them hugs and tell them how much you love them.”

Author of more than two dozen books including 365 Ways to Live Happy and The Everything Law of Attraction Book, Lester takes her own advice about the virtues of doing good deeds for animals. She frequently cares for friends’ pets, rescues injured birds, and signs petitions in favor of animal welfare laws.

ANIMAL BEAT Q&A WITH MEERA LESTER:

AB: Why is it important to care about animals?

LESTER: I think it's arrogant to think that humans are the only creatures worth living on this planet and to think of animals as only food or sport. The same power that created us created the animals, too.

AB: Why are animals important in human lives?

LESTER: The most obvious reason is that domesticated animals such as dogs and cats offer unconditional love and companionship. We all need love and companionship--from people, but if not people or in addition to people, with our pets. Otherwise we are doomed to living lonely, isolated lives.

AB: What inspired you to write the book?

LESTER: I was raised in a poor rural area of the Midwest. Growing up, I saw how friends and neighbors helped each other when things got really rough. It's been a personal philosophy to be as generous as I can with those in need.

After I married, there were certain charities to whom my husband and I contributed together and also other causes that spoke to us individually. Some of the people who most inspired me gave selflessly throughout their lives—I'm talking about Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Vincent de Paul, for example. One person can make a huge difference in another person's life.

AB: What are you working on these days?

LESTER: I have two new books out, 365 Ways to Live Happy, and 365 Ways to Look—and Feel Younger, both from Adams Media. I've just finished The Marriage Devotional, a book about how to have a successful, sex-filled happy life with your life partner, to be released by Adams Media in September 2010.

Disclosure: The author of this article is a longtime fan and friend of Meera Lester, and Lester is a writer for AnimalBeat.org.

Katerina Lorenzatos Makris is the author of 17 novels for publishers including Avon, E.P. Dutton, and Simon & Schuster, and hundreds of articles for publications such as National Geographic Traveler, San Francisco Chronicle, and Veggie Life. She wrote a teleplay for CBS and short fiction for The Bark magazine. With coauthor Shelley Frost, she wrote Your Adopted Dog (The Lyons Press). Holding a B.A. in Environmental Science Studies and a lifelong interest in animal issues, she spends a lot of her time battling a severe addiction to dogs.