Farm animals are a calming presence in our lives. I am convinced that a good deal of the violence and indifference in city areas is due to a lack of farm animals. Somehow their presence soothes us and seems to give us exactly what we need, and those needs can be different at different times. Somehow the animals know.
For example, if we are anxious and worried about our future
and finances, farm animals give us an example of creatures who live in the now
and never think of money. They never
worry about cash or possessions and have never had such things. If we are sad and forlorn, farm animals
remind us that there is always another day, another dawn to wake up to, and that
even if we don’t have everything we want, we usually have everything we
need. If we are lonely and depressed,
farm animals offer their quiet company without ever saying a word. They are a constant and steady presence that
gives us more strength than we realize.
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| A peaceful farm life. |
Farm animals do not judge us. They do not compare us to others. They do not hold us to any stringent measures
or impossible standards. Farm animals do
not use us or pit us against one another.
They don’t steal and they don’t lie.
They are the epitome of good and honest friends. If we are rude, they forgive us. If we are forgetful, they remind us. If we are busy, they wait for us in silence
and peace.
No matter how badly you might feel on some days, if you
drive by farm animals, you will be made happy and whole again. The animals don’t have to belong to you. They can just be part of a farm you pass on
your daily drive. There’s an unspoken
message of their peaceful lives that go on and on in an unbroken rhythm
throughout the centuries. This has
always happened and it always will happen.
This is stability. This is real
life unfolding before your eyes. This is
true wealth.
