I recently had a pretty amazing thing happen. I wish someone had been there to witness it and capture it on film, but if someone else had been there, maybe it never would have happened at all.
It was Sunday. I walked out to the pasture for a moment to visit with the goats and horse. The sun was warm, the day was lovely. Next to the shed that shelters the hoof-stock, I have two large wooden thimbles from the local cable company. We have screwed a piece of plywood between them to make a bridge, and the goats like to hop up there to play or rest. On a whim I sat on one of the thimbles, enjoying the quiet morning. Chanel, the horse, approached me and leaned her big head up against my chest. I put my arms around her neck and rubbed her, feeling so fortunate that she trusted me enough to come snuggle. Then Luna goat joined her, nibbling on the knee of my pants and rubbing her head on my leg. "Wow!" I thought. "These animals are seeking me out to give me affection. How magical is this?"
Just then Ella goat hopped up next to me. Her black coat was warm from the sun, and she very deliberately lay down beside me, pressing the side of her body closely against my hip. She lay there, snuggled close, chewing her cud very contentedly. The horse was still there, Luna goat, too, asking for affection. And THEN, as if I could not feel any happier, Celeste goat hopped up behind me. And she, too, laid down. I leaned my back against her side, totally happy. I was completely surrounded by my animals, and they were peacefully, calmly, sweetly communing with me.
I thought back to my childhood. Ever since I hatched I have loved animals. Craved their companionship, longed for their trust. If 8 year old me could have glimpsed my future... if she could have seen herself in a sunny Maine meadow where goats deliberately arranged themselves around her for a peaceful rest... well, she would have wanted to hit the fast forward button to speed through all those in-between years just so she could experience this one, crystalline, perfect moment. Magical.
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