Do you remember that song “If I could talk to the animals?” I do. In fact, as a child I was mesmerized by the possibility of “Chatting with a chimp in chimpanzee.” But even if my little dog seems to be limping along with me when my osteoarthritis flares, I would probably laugh if someone were to suggest he’s feeling my pain…that is until l read Remember Me by Linda Nija Nations. This author makes you wonder about and question any beliefs you hold about all other creatures who share our world.

When Linda Nija Nations suffered a dreadful brain injury following a fall from her horse, the road to recovery was a very difficult one. No longer able to do what we all take for granted, like daily multi-tasking or walking and talking simultaneously (as just the act of walking required full concentration on foot placement), Linda was forced to forge on alone after she recognized how little her husband cared about her. Still weak, and often disoriented even for months following surgery, Linda had to tend to the maintenance of her farm and animals by herself. Though she occasionally thought she’d be better off dead, with a dogged determination, she slowly regained her strength and developed a new one, that of being able to communicate on a very deep level with her beloved animals. This skill brought her back to full acceptance of what had happened in her life, and opened her up to a new career of helping others, both humans and animals, to heal after traumatic events.

Linda Nija Nations “believes humans and animals are all an equal and integral part of the same vast universe." Because she believes this so deeply, she does a good job of convincing those of us who are skeptical, or too rooted in reality, to open up our minds and think outside the box. Through the beautiful, sometime humorous descriptions Linda gives readers of her exchanges with owls, birds, even a skunk, but especially through her tender moments with her horses and dogs, she touches our souls. If readers are receptive to Linda’s stories, they will come away from Remember Me acknowledging we still have so much to learn about life and this earth that we share with our animal friends. Nations has offered us a chance to suspend our doubts just long enough to consider alternatives. Embrace the opportunity to do so.

Remember Me: How my soul connection with animals helped me recover from a severe brain injury by Linda Nija Nations is the author's memoir of the aftermath of a fall from Sestina (later reverting to the original name Rose), a beloved horse, that resulted in a traumatic, life altering injury. Nations' story highlights how this damage, which had her learning how to walk and talk again, cost her friends, family, her marriage, and altered every facet of her day to day living. Despite this, she found a unique source of hope, help, and inspiration: guardian angels in spirit, human, and animal form. Nations was able to connect with the animal guides on a level that most would have trouble grasping, let alone conferring with, but through love, compassion, and mutual respect, a world unknown to all but a special few revealed itself to Nations and brought her more than just physical healing.

Remember Me by Linda Nija Nations might be a memoir, but it reads more like an absorbing novel. For me, the most beautiful story (of many told) is the one of her connection to Barney, an abused horse who was able to convey the offenses against him through a "photo" projected to Nations. This enabled her to let Barney's new human companion, Candace, understand the full scope of what they were dealing with. Nations states, "The animals that allowed me to connect with them have been my teachers. Through them I have gained an immeasurable understanding of their nature." The healing she embraced for herself as well as the animals and people who surround her lend weight to her story. I would absolutely recommend this book to all animal lovers, individuals who are overcoming hardships, and anyone interested in a beautiful tale of survival.