Animal Message of the Day

From Charlie:

“Life has a funny way of teaching you things, sometimes in ways you don’t want to hear, but in a way that is necessary to hear it. It was like that for me. I thought myself to be a majestic little prince. I have it all – the good looks, an athletic little body, and a sharp mind. The world was mine. All of it. I thought perhaps a title like ‘his royal highness’ might have been appropriate. In short, I got a little too cocky. But I am a pony afterall and we are a special bunch. It’s true! But life dealt me a setback. I got abandoned. Totally and completely abandoned by the humans who once saw me as a prince. Left to fend for myself was more than I could even fathom. There was nothing more shattering to me than being alone. I wanted to die. But I didn’t. I had to reach to a deeper understanding. Once I did that, life sent me a different direction. I am forever grateful to have now found my way. Life is very different for me now. I have scars that I still deal with. But I have people who truly love me for who I am. Even when I am a naughty little pony. After all, that is what makes Charlie special! Don’t ever give up on learning. Don’t every lose hope or faith. Life can change in an instant for the better. Trust me on this one. I’m much wiser than I ever thought I was before.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Tom:

“When life throws changes at you, there are different ways you can respond. At first, change doesn’t always seem good, when in fact, it may be just what you need. That is what happened to me. When I lost my person, my heart was hurting. And I couldn’t imagine what would happen or where I’d end up. But now, I know happiness again. I work with people to help them understand that change is ok. That life is good. That love is always a good thing. Sadness from loss shifts into something different. It truly does. But you can’t give up on the hope of a new day. It won’t’ look the same. It won’t feel the same. It won’t be the same. It will be different. But different doesn’t mean that it will be void of happiness. Because, if you let it, happiness is still within and around you. You just need to allow yourself to be happy. That’s what I wanted to share with you today.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Leo:

“Sometimes it can be the simplest of things that make me happy.  Why do humans think it strange that animals have the same kind of feelings that humans have? We don’t question if humans have thoughts and feelings? Anyway, there are days that I love to see the light starting to dim as the sun sets and the clouds turn all sorts of special colors. It is beautiful and it reminds me that there is so much out there in the world that is larger than I am. I don’t have to understand everything to appreciate it. I hope you can find happiness and beauty around you too. It’s there. I know that. Because it is everywhere. There are magical insects and majestic trees. And the wind on certain days brings the most amazing smells. All of life makes me happy. But what makes me most happy is the chance I have been given to live it.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Rollin:

“I’m kind of the new guy around here but I’m figuring things out. It’s not always easy being a rooster you know. I have lots to contend with. Some of the hens wander off and I have to get them back. I have to dodge horses and tractors and then of course there are the wild animals too. By the time I get back to the roost at night I’m pretty tired. But I am grateful to have had a day to manage. It fills me with pride to do my work well. When the hens are safe, then I’ve done alright. I take pride in being the best me I can be. And that makes this rooster really happy. I hope you are proud to be you too!”

Animal Message of the Day

From Nell:

“The very idea of happiness makes me happy. Maybe that sounds silly.  But it’s not silly to me. There was a time that I didn’t think I would live. I watched all my friends die one by one and no one seemed to care. There was little to feel happy about. In fact, I couldn’t even think of being happy. But life changed, as life tends to do if you let it. I remember when I first felt joy again. It was a specific day. I was here at this farm. I had gone outside for the first time to see what the farm looked like. It was not what I saw that changed my life, but what I felt. Because, although it is very beautiful here, what I felt immediately was the peace and serenity and joy coming from the horses and other animals who already lived here. In a horse’s life, that is not as common as you think. Often times we do not find permanence in our lives. We move from person to person and place to place. It is hard to keep adapting to that change. But when I got here, I knew joy. And I knew that joy was mine to hold onto. I wish you the same joy in your life. I truly mean that.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Buster:

“It is very true that we all see the world a little differently than one another. I see the world through one eye. But I also see the world through a perspective of trauma that caused me to lose my eye. Vision is a tricky thing. Because no matter how hard we may try otherwise, we only see things through what we believe to be true. No two of us see things exactly the same way. Not just because our eyes are different, but because our experiences are different too. But what I see that makes being human look difficult to me is that you seem to insist that everyone else sees things the way you do. You can not force people to see things your way. And why would you want to? Each of us sees a different piece of the puzzle. And the plain truth is – we are not meant to all see the same thing.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Brandy:

“I love to share my heart with humans. And actually, that is also the very thing that brings me happiness. I love when people are drawn to me that have never had anything to do with horses. So many times I have been the first horse that someone has ever touched. I love to feel the amazement and wonder when they experience and feel how a big animal can be so soft and kind and fit inside their heart. I love getting inside someone’s heart and leaving softness. I think that humans should practice this with one another. Simply being kind is a gift you can give to someone that can change their lives in ways you will never see. Just be kind. Be present. And breathe softly. You literally can change the world that way. I know for sure that is true.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Evelyn:

“I love being a pig. I love life! Where I live, I get to see so many things. I love hearing the donkeys calling out first thing in the morning. They let us all know they are there and we are welcoming another day. I love to hear the nickers of the horses. I love the honking goose and the quacking ducks. All these sounds are around me all day. It reminds me that I am safe at home. At night, when it’s quiet in the barn, I can hear the contented sighs of all my friends. Life is really good here. I am a lucky pig. And I am grateful for every second of this.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Misty Mew:

“I love my life. I love each day. Now there are some parts of my days that get annoying at times. But you have to overlook those little things in life. If something gets too uncomfortable for me, I simply move along to something else. I love humans. I think each of you is special and I think most of you don’t know it – or you have forgotten it. So I like to remind people how special they are. But not everyone understands that about me. It’s ok. But I have a wish for you. I wish you could stop for a moment each day and appreciate your inner beauty. Some of you pay too much attention to what you think are mistakes or flaws. You focus on negativity and you feel worse each day. If you start focusing on positive things, you will be far more happy. This is a truth that I understand. And it is my mission to share this with anyone who will listen to me. Appreciate yourself even when you feel no one else does. I appreciate you.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Kernel:

“So many things make me happy and filled with gratitude. Standing in the sun makes me feel charged with energy. Spending time outside with my friends fills my heart with contentment. My friend Finnegan and I start each day by grooming one another and feeling great appreciation for all that we have. I live with other horses who have, like me, known great pain and sadness and challenges that are profoundly difficult. But when you make it through to the other side of that, and have been shown love and kindness, you heal in a very deep way. With that healing comes deep gratitude, for you know you have seen the worst there is to see, and you realize that love brought you through to something so magnificent in life. And with each step you take, you get more brave and secure, and you start to open to new friends. You find hope. You feel peace. And you find deep love in all places around you. That is what it is like to heal. We hope you will come visit us and experience this for yourselves some day too. And then take it with you and spread it like seeds being planted around the world. That is what I am here for. And I am blessed.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Piper:

“Have you ever seen my tail in action? A cat’s tail is a wondrous thing. We balance with them. We think with them. And we announce our annoyance of others with them at times too. I love my tail. Yet, I’ve never even seen it. I was born without eyes. And I have learned to explore and appreciate life to the max. Nothing is too high for me to climb. No toy is impossible for me to play with. No heart is out of my reach to touch. My purr is superbly loud. My skills of chasing and catching flies would astound you. Because I have learned to do all of this without eyes but only with feeling. I can feel my way through anything. What I notice with people is that they seem to be afraid to feel things with great depth. Yet, if you did, and you dedicated yourself to exploring that to the fullest, you’d find that you are amazingly sensitive and special creatures. We cats know that. And I know that even though I do not have eyes to see you. I see you in a way that I only wish you could see yourselves.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Noah:

“Let me tell you about what makes me happy. There is so much love in this world if you’d really stop for a second and look around you.  I’ve noticed humans feeling so heavy about things. But they seem to then accept a notion that you can’t change them. Everything can be changed! I see it every day. Please don’t accept someone else’s hopelessness and fear as your own. If each of us could hold on to the truth about hope and love and kindness, then we’d all create magnificent change together. We do it in our barn every day. I can tell you it works. It fills my heart with joy when I feel someone come in who may be a bit lost or sad. They will come over to see me and my other animal friends and you can feel them reach into their hearts with the genuineness of a child. For a moment, they forget their worries. And when they do, their hearts fill with joy and wonder and hope. This is what makes me happy. Let’s make happiness and kindness the next pandemic. Wanna join me? Let’s just do it!”

Animal Message of the Day:

From Chester:

“I think it is important to dream. And it is not a waste of your time to spend time imagining and visualizing things. I love when people come sit in my room with me and my cat friends. If they are too much in their heads, it is not much fun. But when they let go and play with our cat toys and get silly, then they start to loosen up and we see the true human inside all the chaos. I love when humans make up games and play. You can feel them relax and become more creative and in their hearts. It’s my favorite thing to watch. I don’t think people see that about me. Because they have a notion that I’m not participating with them. But I’m just being peaceful. And peaceful is good. My advice? Play more. Dream more. And feel more peace. I hope you can find that for yourself.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Gilligan:

“I grew up needing to be tough to survive. It became my identity. I thought it was kind of cool. I could push my way through anything. I’m a big goat. But while I was pushing everyone around, I was missing the finer points of life. I’m still learning. I’m trying. First I had to unlearn my ways that I thought I had to be. That is not easy is it? It’s hard sometimes to discover who we are. Who am I? What am I here for? What is my purpose? Indeed, that is what life is about. I’m figuring that out now. And I’m taking time to find the answer to those questions. I am grateful to have a chance to find out the answers. I hope you do too.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Woodward:

“What brings me happiness is being a cat. I love being a cat. I love how my body moves. I love my purr. I love being able to climb and scratch and roll and stretch. I also love my other cat friends. I don’t know if I’ve found very many humans though that appreciate being a human as much as I do being a cat. Humans tend to think too much. And you think that is intelligence. But intelligence is also knowing when to not over think things. Intelligence is about being. Just being. When is the last time you allowed yourself to just be in a moment without timing it or worrying if you should be another way or do something different? It is true that cats do not have the worries that you do. But don’t underestimate what we know and understand. Because sometimes just appreciating each other is the greatest form of intelligence anyone can ever have. It is heart smart. You should love being human as much as I love being a cat.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Ginny:

“I love feeling peacefulness. There is a special quiet that happens just after sunset that I love. It makes me feel comforted deep inside. I didn’t always feel this peace. It took me many years to find it actually. When I was younger, I just was consumed with my body and how nice it moved and how fast I could run. But life changed for me over the years. When I suddenly could no longer run and it became difficult to even walk due to an injury, then my priorities changed. Life became uncertain for me. I didn’t have a job anymore. And I was no longer needed because I couldn’t work. When I ended up in a place where I was appreciated not for what I could do but for who I really am, everything changed. When you find a place like that in your life, embrace it. Because the true meaning of life is the deep peace in moments of your day where you are sure you are right where you belong. The quest to find that place is within you. It is your inner peace and knowing that you are ok exactly how you are. You are needed in this world to be exactly who you are. And I take comfort knowing you are out there being the best you that you can be. That is what I have learned in my life.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Sheena:

“When you close your eyes at night after your day is done, do you feel content? Do you rest with a sigh of how good your day was or how full your heart is? Or do you count the items you didn’t get done and worry about what the next day will be like? Each day, we have an opportunity to be grateful for exactly what we have in this moment. We owe it to ourselves to be thankful for what we do have and not measure our lives or our days by what we got done or didn’t get to. Why would a cat tell you this? Because I feel endless humans come in to my room with the worries of all they didn’t do or should have done or think they can’t do. And through that fog, we can’t reach them. My cat friends and I try. But until you stop measuring your days by worries about what you don’t have or can’t find, you will never understand the riches that you already have inside your heart. If you could go to bed tonight and fill your thoughts with all you have to be grateful for, you will wake up truly different tomorrow. I’ve always wanted to say this. Thank you.”

Animal Message of the Day: Finnegan

From Finnegan: “I can tell you what I’m grateful for. I’m grateful to have a place I can trust to call home. I’ve been in some tough places in my life. Never able to measure up to what I was supposed to be. The truth is that I am a noble horse and I like to share my heart and my connection to this planet. My heart is soft, my temper is steady, and I am strong in my resolve to experience all I can in life with kindness and humility. There were people who were not kind to me, yet I do not blame all people. I’ve seen too many humans not be willing to forgive and move forward in life. I’ve also experienced humans walking carelessly through life. Life is a precious thing. I’ll tell you this. When you almost lose that gift of life, you find you have a deeper appreciation for the tiniest of things that you may not have even noticed before. Why not look for those now? Let’s all appreciate one another. That would be a very big change in the world.”

We are so excited! We’ve all been working hard at our gift to you for the holiday season. From November 25^ththrough December 31^st we will be posting a message from one of our animals along with their photo. Animals are so great at keeping us present and reminding us of what truly is important. So join us each day for an inspirational message of love and hope.

Toby says: “We miss all of our human visitors. We hope next year you can all come back! Please join us to hear our messages. We’ve all been working hard to get these messages to you. Put your stress aside just for a bit each day and find hope and inspiration!”