From Charlie: “I’m hearing that some people are feeling very lost and alone. I understand this. There was a time in my life where I stood all alone in a field. No one was there to care for me. I could see humans go by and no one paid any attention. It was like I didn’t exist. So let me speak to you from my experience. Even when things seem at their worst, sometimes we have to dig into reserves we didn’t even know we had. We need to keep telling ourselves that this will pass. Because it will. It always does. Nothing ever stays the same forever. Life moves. Things change. And you will know the comfort of other’s again in your life. I went from feeling empty to feeling like a little prince. I probably shouldn’t say this or they may take my princedom away. But, I look back on those lonely days now with great appreciation for what I have now. The storm will pass. The clouds will lift. The sun will shine. Your life will be different. But different is better. Just keep moving forward. You will see that I am right. I always am! —- the Little Prince.”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”
This past week we saw sunshine and temps near 60 degrees here in Central NY. While life in lockdown is challenging and is bringing up a lot of fear in many people, it is helpful to remember that life is continuing on, uninterrupted on our planet. Spring is springing. The song birds are returning in great numbers and birdsong fills the air. The peepers have started their evening serenade. The trees are budding. And the ground is gently opening as fresh shoots peek out of the ground, waking from their winter slumber. I was so excited this week to see the first daffodil bloom in our garden. It made me think of how excited our elderly horses feel when they see the grass turning green and they know they’ve made it through another winter and become renewed again with the spring and the fresh grass. And, it makes me remember the ones who left us and found a different kind of spring off of this earth, although we miss them. That first daffodil brought so many emotions up in me.
Today, that pleasant taste of spring was abruptly disrupted by one more shot of cold air, wind, and snow. As I got our mail this afternoon, I was moved again by a daffodil. This one, which I captured in this photo, was one lone, brave, pioneering daffodil who bloomed way before the rest of the daffodils around her, still waiting to make their debut. This one came early. I saw her drooped head as she struggled to remain upright in the snow and wind. Alone. And I thought how stunningly profound her message is for all of us right now.
Many of us are feeling just like this lone daffodil. Cut off from the lives that we became used to as our normal routine. Segregated away from friends and family and sometimes feeling alone in a cold and desolate world. Yet, this one daffodil is actually the bravest and brightest of all. She defied all odds and brought herself out of her slumber for all the world to see. She gives us hope of a new day. She brings us a reminder that spring really is here in spite of the snow. She teaches us that each of us has a beauty and light to shine and each one of us is unique with that light. She shows us that now, more than ever, it is time to shine our lights and let our beauty blossom. This is our time.
So, if you’re feeling like you’re alone and things just seem to be hopeless, remember this daffodil who came to remind us all that now is the time to dig deep within ourselves for that inner strength that fills our core and shines bright despite the wind and cold and snow.
As nature reminds us with the seasons, there are times for resting and going deep within. There are times for growth and renewal. And there are times for planting seeds to bring life to others who need sustenance that we can provide. We are all in this together. We need one another, now more than ever. Each of us, in our own way, is like this daffodil. And each of us will bloom exactly when we are supposed to and we will be the hope for another who needs encouragement to bloom as well. Shine your light and you will light the way for others who are lost in their own darkness.
Never, ever, give up on hope – no matter how much the wind blows, or how long the snow returns. Spring is always near.
From Dougie: “I know that humans are stressed right now and are going through a hard time. Change isn’t always easy. I lived most of my life outside in the wild. I didn’t have any other cat friends because that never worked out too well for me. I was a loner. I was a survivor. And I was proud of that. But then, I started having trouble. As I grew older, winters were growing more difficult. I also began to not feel well. I started coming to visit the cats here in the sanctuary when they were on their porches. I wondered what life was like for them being locked inside and not being able to just wander wherever they wanted to. That didn’t seem like a fun life. Until one day, it actually felt more appealing. In fact, I made some friends through the screens on the porches. And I decided maybe trying the life of the cats inside might be interesting. So, the humans let me in and got me help for my health. I healed. And I am now figuring out what life is like on the inside. I don’t miss the struggle outside. My outlook has changed. And I have learned more about myself than I ever could have. So, dear humans, while you find yourselves locked inside, take a deeper look at who you are and what you want to do in life. You will find this to be the most ideal time to do so and you might even decide to make some changes. You might just be surprised like I was!”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”
From Leo: “I am most grateful right now for spring. I love that the grass is starting to grow and there is nothing like the taste of that first spring grass. The birds are back and are singing and the bugs are even back, although I’m not so grateful about them. Soon, there will be butterflies and I love watching them on summer days. I appreciate all of the seasons. But spring is probably my favorite as we get to spend more time outside and get to roll in the dirt and nap in the sun. Life is good. When you get stressed or feeling stuck, just go outside and notice all the life that is coming back alive. It will make you feel better.”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”
From Yeti: “Every human says the same thing when they see me….. ‘He’s so cute!’ It’s true. I am cute. But there is much more to me than this fluffy hair. In fact, it may seem cute to you but when I have a bad hair day, I have a bad hare day. (A little bunny humor thrown in there. Did you catch that?) So, let me tell you, humans need to get past physical appearances. You worry so much about those things. No one ever takes the time to get to know me because they stop at what I look like. My soul is way bigger than this little fluff ball of a body. I’m big inside. I’m here for great things. So stop worrying about what you look like or don’t look like or what you think you look like. It’s not what you look like that matters. It is who you are and how well you are at being you.”
(Note from Dawn: This message is from Yeti but the line about the bad hare day was thrown in by me. Sorry, I couldn’t help myself!)
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”
From Nell: “Life is about wholeness. We need to look at things from all sides and not just from one. Let me explain. I have one eye. I lost one eye. It all depends on which side of me you are standing on. You can stand and look at me and notice I have a gorgeous eye (and that would be true!) or if you happen to be on my other side, you could make the mistake to label me as a horse that is missing an eye, and then you’d feel sorry for me. I lost an eye. But I am not missing anything. I had a choice in my life to either live like I was half-blind, or to see more with what I have been gifted with. I chose the gift instead of the loss. Truth is, I’ve lived through lots of loss. It would make you sad to hear about it. It made me sad to live through it. And in the end, I lost an eye. But that is only half of the story. The other half is that I have a wonderful life where I am loved for being me. And I have found more light and joy and happiness through one eye than the darkness I lived in when I had two. Sometimes when you lose something, you realize how much more you actually gain. You need to look at life as a whole and not focus on single parts that don’t give you the whole picture.”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”
From Corey: “Some days there is a beam of sunlight that shines through my room on the floor. I share my room with many cat friends. Pretty much all of us love to bask in that sunbeam when it comes, yet not all of us can share it at the same time. What we have discovered in our room here is the gift of cooperation. Because sometimes one of us needs that sunlight a little more than the others. And all of us realize that there are many days that there is no sunbeam to bask in. Sharing our most treasured resources among our friends feels good. Because when we do that, we all get to help one another on the days when the sunbeam can’t be found. I think right now that humans need to understand this. Share your light with others. And give a little more to the ones who need it more. They may do the same for you when you can’t find your own light. It is just what makes sense.”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”
From Mack: “I have discovered that there is an art to life. Now, I say this as I am in my elder years and from a new vantage point at how things really are in life. It’s like the further you go down a road, the more you can see and understand about where you have been, when you look back from where you came. I am now understanding things about my journey that I couldn’t see from my earlier perspective. I am a more seasoned traveler now and have grown a bit wiser. I’ve learned to slow down and appreciate things differently. I’m a dog who likes to know that everything is in its place and as it should be. And if it isn’t, then it’s my job to get it there. The thing is that there is a time to realize that you did the best job you could do and that is all anyone can ask. If we all just worked on being the best self that we can be, the world would fall into order in a jiffy. Take it from a border collie who knows how to get things in place quickly.”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”
From Cashew: “I am grateful for friends. I would not want to ever live alone. I’ve only known the support of a herd and I am forever grateful that my donkey family got to stay together. We were all in a bad situation together. And now, we are all in the best place together. We all helped each other by standing strong for each other. No matter how tough things seem to get in life, if you stand by each other, you can get through anything. I never want to be without my friends. Humans need to understand this better. You are stronger when you stand together. And you are most sad and alone when you don’t. Supporting each other will make you happier!”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”
From Gizmo: “I am grateful for second chances. One time in my life I had given up. I was super depressed and didn’t think that life was worth living anymore. I had lost my home that I loved. And I didn’t think I’d ever find happiness again. I stopped eating and I got very sick. I thought I’d never belong anywhere ever again. But then, something happened. I realized how much the people here really cared about me. They worked hard to help me recover, and I did. I was given a second chance at being loved again. I found out life was worth living all along. And I healed. They promised me I wouldn’t get lost in the shuffle again and that I’d be able to have my space to call my own. It was what I needed. It is great to be heard and understood and loved. It’s never too late to believe in yourself and that your situation can change for the better. Sometimes you have to fight your own despair to survive. But I am here to tell you it is all worth it! I’m forever grateful to have learned that.”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”
From Whisper: “Sometimes I have not been patient with the healing of time. Sometimes I have let the energy of my disappointments overtake me. Sometimes I have felt alone and scared and I let that turn into anger. I am reconsidering my course. I have held on to people who have hurt me rather than the people who have shown up with kindness to help. I have rejected admitting that I need help, fighting the good fight until my body broke down to a point where I had no choice but to accept help. It is important not to let our fear and disappointments overtake us. By hanging on to those things, we only keep ourselves focused where we don’t want to be. I’m stepping into the sunlight. Allowing help. Welcoming kindness. And letting go of the anger that never served me at all. That is what second chances are all about. I’m finding that out now. It’s never too late.”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”
From Gonzo: “Let me tell you what I appreciate most is my nose. It’s true! I can smell things that I bet none of you humans can. I can smell things deep into the earth. I can smell crumbs that you don’t even know you left behind. All those ways I can find food with this nose are endless. But, I can smell much more than that. I can smell when the other pigs are scared. I can smell when the horses are concerned. I can smell when humans are sad. I can smell when the Earth is joyful. With this nose, I can tell when the weather is going to change. I can smell the seasons when they are about to change. I appreciate knowing and experiencing how others feel. It matters greatly to me. I may not be able to change the world, but I can change a moment for someone who is sad by making them smile. I can change a day for someone who is confused by helping them to think better. And I can certainly let someone know I care when they don’t think anyone else does. You humans may not have my nose (and that is a sad thing indeed) but you do have the ability to do these things too. Sometimes you can be the one to make the difference when no one else can. It won’t look as cool as when a pig does it….. but you will do it in your own human way.”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges faced by the COVID-19 virus, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life? Or “What would you like to share?”
From Flannigan: “For me, what I feel is that life is like a big carnival. There are so many things to do and so much to experience. And you can decide to sit around and watch others move about in life or you can create your very own experience at any rate of speed you’d like. That is what I think is so amazing about life. I watch some of my older friends who aren’t as fast anymore in the way they move. But that doesn’t stop them from participating in life. They are actually great at life! It is good for us younger ones to pay attention to what they have done in life. I mean, really, doesn’t that make sense? If they survived all of the things that they did (and some of the cats here have some tough stories) and they survived long enough to get old, then I think they know a thing or two that could be helpful. I don’t know, it just makes sense like that to me. I am grateful for the older cats and their wisdom. Seems like a waste if we don’t learn from them.”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life?
From Shawnee: “I appreciate learning new things. And I most appreciate when humans recognize that I am smarter than they often think. Just because I am stubborn sometimes, and I admit that I am, doesn’t mean that I’m not smart. But if someone doesn’t take the time to get to know who I am on the inside, then I feel why should I necessarily do everything they want. Life is about working together. Co-operating. Operating together. I appreciate the compassion in the human heart, even when the human doesn’t see it for themselves. But when I meet intolerance, I meet that with great resistance. I will gladly walk with you if you tell me where it is we are going to go and invite me along. I am grateful for companionship. And this is something humans don’t understand, especially for themselves.”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life?
From Mabel: “I’ve lived life for a very long time in this donkey body. I am the eldest donkey on this farm. That may not mean I’m the wisest donkey, but it just means I’m the most experienced one here. It gives me a fine place to be able to look around and feel great appreciation for a great many things in my life. But, I’ll tell you what else makes life worth all of the ups and downs. It’s not just feeling appreciation for life. But it’s also just as important to feel appreciated. I have known what it was like to feel totally unappreciated. It doesn’t matter how much the sun shines or how great the day is if you don’t feel appreciated by someone. I know, you can argue that if you appreciate things then you’ll be appreciated in return. There may indeed be truth to that. But I’ll tell you this from my years of living and from my experience. If you have a chance to let someone know how appreciated they are in your life, you may just be giving them the greatest gift of their day…. and possibly the greatest opportunity of their lives to heal and grow. I urge you to try it. Everyone should feel appreciated and know what that is like.”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak, we are posting an animal message a day. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life?
From Clark: “Look at this fine goat body I am in! What is there NOT to appreciate? I love making people laugh. When people laugh, they breathe and open up to the real light within them. Why are you all so stingy with opening up your light? Come on! Lighten up! Bounce around. Jump and skip. Even if you can’t physically do that, you can do it in your thoughts. Feel your energy bounding in your body. Feel how wonderful life is and let that fill you up. Don’t just focus on thoughts that make you feel afraid. You see, if I worried all the time about what could have happened if I hadn’t come here to this farm, I’d be a nervous wreck all the time. Instead, I’m focused on being here in every second. It is glorious! Even if it is raining, you can know that the sun is still shining. And the rain will end. And the sun will fill you up again. If you can’t bring yourself to do it, then I suggest you get yourself a goat. We’ll show you how it’s done. Yes, we surely will!”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges lately, we are posting an animal message a day through the end of March. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life?
From Clyde: “Life is a beautiful thing. I think people try to make life too complicated. I know that humans are complex thinkers but truly they make things more complex than they need to. Animals think too. But human thoughts are more tangled up within themselves, kind of like a ball of string. The problem is that frequently you take one string and give it a tug and if it shows any resistance you give up and think it’s hopeless. Or, you give it a tug and it starts to pull free and you think the whole thing is going to fall apart on you. Life isn’t really like that. You just think it is. I love people. I quietly stand back and watch and feel all of you. I appreciate your fear of things, as I too have fears of my own. I appreciate your feelings and sensitivities. You see, I think that the problem is that you don’t know how to appreciate yourselves. If you start with that, you will change the world very quickly, because you will appreciate everyone else as well. Be patient with yourself. It takes some time. But you can do it.”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges lately, we are posting an animal message a day through the end of March. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life?
From Hazel: “There is so much to love and appreciate in life. I’d say that my biggest thing is that I appreciate comfort. Comfort is an interesting thing. Sometimes it is simply lying in the warm sun. Sometimes it is snuggling in a nice soft bed. It can be the comfort of hearing my friends purring. Other times, comfort is more complicated. Sometimes, the sun doesn’t shine for days or another cat is sleeping in my favorite bed. In those times, I have to make do with other things to find comfort. And then there is this truth. Sometimes the greatest comfort is when you can comfort another. Often, I have had a human who needed a head bump or gentle purr. By offering another comfort when they need it most, it also fills my heart with comfort too.”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges lately, we are posting an animal message a day through the end of March. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life?
From Mary: “I just came here and no one has actually ever asked me this before. I am still trying to understand what this life is all about. I love being recognized for who I am. I understand that there is a lot of fear around because I can feel its energy. When sheep get scared, we flock together. There is comfort in numbers. There is safety in knowing that you are not alone. When the flock stands together, we are stronger. Each of us can watch out for each other, but also the responsibility is not just placed on one individual. We can instantly come together and feel stronger and the fear goes away so that we can think rationally. We then move as one unit. I don’t see this too much with people. You all seem to scatter willy nilly when you get scared. I don’t see the strength in that. Find your flock and gather together. You will be stronger than you ever realized you could be.”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges lately, we are posting an animal message a day through the end of March. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life?
From Toby: “Oh, let me tell you what I appreciate. I love this question! But there are so many things! It’s spring and my friends and I have been moved out of our hibernation area in the barn. Don’t get me wrong, because in the winter we were very grateful to be inside with all of our friends all nice and snug and warm. But now that the weather is nicer, it is great to be outside with my friends in the sun and soon there will even be grass. Being outside again gives me the greatest ability to appreciate the first rays of sun that come up in the morning. I love to stand outside as the world becomes light. There is something special about that first light. It is also wonderful for my friends and I to join in for a nice group bray each morning as the farm awakens. It is great to be the first voice that everyone hears! I also appreciate standing under the stars at night. I like it all. Life is a wonderful thing!”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges lately, we are posting an animal message a day through the end of March. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life?
From Alice: “Life has blessed me with the opportunity of being different. I was born with legs that are not normal. But I get around just fine, although it is different than other cats. For a time, I was living life out on the streets and not doing so well at that. It was hard for me to navigate and fend for myself. But then, I ended up here, where I am safe and free to be exactly who I am. I am not defined by my body. Neither are you. We are who we are inside and that is what matters most. I appreciate it when people take the time to find out who I am and not judge me by what I look like or how I walk. And I appreciate each and every one of you for just being you.”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges lately, we are posting an animal message a day through the end of March. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life?
From Eloise: “I have to tell you that being a pig is a privilege. Everything I smell, smells exquisite. Everything I taste is beyond wonderful. To slosh around in mud or a pool of water on a warm day is so good that joy just fills me up. Everything is great, even on rainy days. The trick is that you have to believe that life is good and accept that life can be good in order for you to experience the magnitude of all the opportunities for joy. I am a pig. I feel. I laugh. I joke around with my friends. I dream. I think. I know. And not a day goes by where I don’t appreciate each one of those. You should too.”
In an effort to help us all through the stress, fear, and challenges lately, we are posting an animal message a day through the end of March. (All messages through animal communicator/co-founder Dawn Hayman) The animals were each asked: What do you feel appreciation for in your life?
This is an old photo with two animals who are now in spirit. Cassie, border collie mix, and cat Buster taught us so much. At the time of the photo, Cassie had just arrived here with us. She was heavily traumatized and timid of everything in life. She had huddled on a dog bed near our desks when Buster walked in and approached her. He sensed her fear and anxiety about literally everything in life. What he did next will be engraved in my heart forever and I captured it in this photo. It is timely for what we are all going through now in this world. I want to share this with all of you.
Life sometimes gets overwhelming. It is easy to feel so insecure or unsure that we just want to hunker down and make the world go away. But it doesn’t. Times like those, and like many of us are experiencing now, are made easier by the kindness and compassion of another. This moment between Cassie and Buster became a pivotal turn-around moment for both of them and for us humans who got to witness this. As Buster lay down beside her, it brought Cassie great comfort. He told her, “Just rest. I’m here with you. You’ve got this. You’re safe. It’s all ok.” And as he snuggled up next to her, she gently rested her head across his back, took a huge breath, and relaxed. He reached out to her in the exact way that she needed. A kindred spirit who understood the fear she was going through because he had come through that himself earlier in his life. His act of kindness helped to change the course of her life. And Cassie then became the caretaker and compassionate heart to many more animals who came after her. She left that legacy behind when she left her body years later.
I am writing this now, as we in New York State are in quarantine. Many of you out there face the same thing or may be facing it soon. It leaves many questions and uncertainties. How will we get through this? How long will this go on? Will we be ok? Will we recover?
We have followers on our Facebook page and website from all over the world. ALL of us are facing the same thing. We are all in this together.
We have an opportunity now to face this together, with strength and compassion and concern and respect for one another. If a once cast out, abused and abandoned cat can reach out with love and compassion for a dog who had given up on life – we humans can put our differences aside and be there for one another too.
We will get through this. We will come out the other side. We will heal. We will be better than we ever were before. Because we will discover that indeed the only way we can do this – is together. Together, we can change the world.
Let’s follow the example of how the animals live. Let’s be the people they think we are. Let’s be there for one another and let’s get through this together. Kindness. Compassion. Love.
From Charlie: “I’m hearing that some people are feeling very lost and alone. I understand this. There was a time in my life where I stood all alone in a field. No one was there to care for me. I could see humans go by and no one paid any attention. It was like I didn’t exist. So let me speak to you from my experience. Even when things seem at their worst, sometimes we have to dig into reserves we didn’t even know we had. We need to keep telling ourselves that this will pass. Because it will. It always does. Nothing ever stays the same forever. Life moves. Things change. And you will know the comfort of other’s again in your life. I went from feeling empty to feeling like a little prince. I probably shouldn’t say this or they may take my princedom away. But, I look back on those lonely days now with great appreciation for what I have now. The storm will pass. The clouds will lift. The sun will shine. Your life will be different. But different is better. Just keep moving forward. You will see that I am right. I always am! —- the Little Prince.”
