From O’Malley: “I am and always will be grateful for my friends. I have human friends and cat friends that are just the greatest critters you can imagine. I love being loved. To me, it is what life is all about. I couldn’t imagine life without love. There was a time though that I thought I’d never find that. If you find yourself thinking the same thing, I can tell you that you need to think again. The greatest way to find love is to love someone yourself. If you love, love will find you. And when you love yourself and where you are, you will see absolute magic happen. That doesn’t mean I don’t have bad days. Sometimes I get sad and frustrated too. But then my friends step in and make it all better again.”

From Felix: “I am most grateful for my friends. At night, when it’s quiet, I am comforted by the breathing of all the animals around me. One of the sheep snores. Luna the goat dreams silly things and makes funny sounds. The horses all take turns resting and their breathing changes throughout the night. And my buddy Leo stands close and sometimes I can even hear his heart beating. It is comforting to know the breathing of friends. Life is precious. I am grateful for every breath around me.”

From Merlin: “Ahhh, everything in life brings about gratitude for me. Sometimes, it can be that first taste of a really good grape. Or the first light of the day greeting me. Or the sound of my humans singing in the morning. I’m grateful for that whistle that gets humans to follow me in song. I whistle then they whistle. Funny thing is that people think it’s the other way around. They think I mimic them, but in reality, they are the ones being trained by me! I get great joy watching how the human brain works. But, my hope for the world is that we all learn to mimic kindness in one another. Just like humming a catchy tune. Maybe we could all be kind and let it spread like a great tune or a catchy rhyme. That is my hope.”

From Piper: “I was born without eyesight. In fact, I do not even have any eyes. Yet, I see the world clearly. Maybe differently than you do, but clearly. My world is very alive to me. I can find a string in the dark that you can’t even see with your eyes. I can tell who all my cat friends are even though I haven’t seen them. Sometimes when you can’t see something you need to learn to trust that it is really there. If I spent my life doubting what was around me, I’d never have found joy in even one thing. Instead, I find joy in everything. I may not see it, but I experience it. I feel it. I am grateful for every single thing in my life. All of it. By losing my eyes, I gained a whole world of beauty in a different way. Life is very good. I hope you can feel that.”

From Lizzie: “I have gone through many changes in my life. When I came here to this farm, I thought it was just one more place to move to. What was left of my life? What was my purpose? It seemed like I didn’t have one anymore. But, suddenly, things are changing. I admit I have probably been a bit grumpy and impatient. Things are changing for me now. I am finding my purpose. This time, I hope I never have to leave. I like what I’m seeing. I’m grateful for all the support that has been given to me. I’d also like to give that back to all who are helping me. I think the most important thing in life is sharing what matters most to me with others. I’ve been around a lot of horses in many places and I have to say that not many of them could say that they feel understood. I know what that feels like now. It has changed my life forever.”

From Tessie: “With all of the goodness in the world, I have been fortunate to find it. Once, when I was younger, I was lost. I was alone. I was scared. But then someone found me and brought me to safety. I have always been grateful for that. But what came to me was that I now had a chance to help someone else. I found another person who was lost like I had been. I helped them find light inside their heart. It made me feel good to know I could do that. I feel it is an obligation to return kindness once it has been gifted to you. Because once you find kindness, you will always know that there is an endless supply to share. Even on cloudy, dreary days, the light and warmth of kindness is still there to share. It feels good to be the light someone needs in their day. I am grateful to have the light to share all because someone first shared theirs with me. I hope you will pass yours along as well. I would be grateful if you would.”

From Nell: “Geez, I hope I didn’t say the same thing last year! I’m still kind of new at this. But I have a lot to be grateful for. I have seen some difficult things in my life and there were times I didn’t think I wanted to go on. In fact, there were times I thought my life was over and it almost was. So, to step into each day with gratitude to be alive is a big thing. I think a lot of people overlook that aspect. People carry such heavy loads. Many times they then put those loads to us to carry for them. We try. But the only help for a heavy heart is love. I think if we could just all do that, there would be a lot more hope around everyone. Love is such an easy thing and there is no shortage ever. I hope you can all remember that simple thing. Just love one another. From there anything and everything is possible.”

From Mack: “Little is often said about the gift of growing old. Usually we bemoan the changes as age has a way of slowing us down in our bodies and minds. But there is a certain magnificence to aging that I am finding. I find comfort in learning to walk a little slower. Before, I had one gear, which was border collie fast. But now, I have to walk slower and, in that change, I am finding that I am shifting my entire viewpoint as well. I am seeing things differently. Some days I am frustrated at how dull my senses seem to be getting. But then, I realize that I feel more acutely than before. There is a depth I see around me that I hadn’t paid attention to before. I feel a depth in people that gives me a certain degree of confidence now that I didn’t allow myself to understand before. I am grateful for this life. I am grateful to know connection. And I am grateful to have the fortune of growing old. Because the other option is that I would no longer be here, and that I most certainly would miss.”

From Scarlett: “Sometimes, life can get a little rough. I have seen a lot throughout my years. Not all of it has been easy. For a while, I found myself not caring to go on anymore. I was feeling really sick. I was weak and couldn’t find my home. No one seemed to care until somehow someone found me who did care. All it takes is one heart to care for another. For me, it was a life changer. I came here to this place and they have helped me feel well again. Suddenly, I have a renewed purpose in life. They have even given me special privileges here and I greatly appreciate being seen for the wisdom that I have earned in my life. I may be older and I may not look so great at times. But that is because things were not always easy for me. I am healing now. I am feeling so much better. This year, I have even more to be grateful for than ever. Never give up hope. And always try to be the one caring heart that can make all the difference for someone else. All it takes is one.”

From Lindy: “One of the things I have learned most in my life is to never take life for granted. My life was deemed over before I came here. Not by me, but by others. I am here because humans allow me to be alive. But in my home here, I am not only alive but I am loved for who I am. My fondest wish came true and here I am. This year, I nearly died again. But this time, it was because something went wrong in my body. However, I wasn’t ready to go yet and my human friends saw that and they stepped in and helped. And once again, here I am. I am grateful to have the space to be me because being me was what I came here to do.”

From Toby: “I am grateful for shelter and warmth and dry bedding and food. Others may take this for granted but I never will. I have gone without all of these things and sometimes it didn’t feel so good. But the one thing I always had was friends. We went through tough times together. When things get difficult, we need to all help one another. Sometimes bad things happen that are out of our control. That is the time when we most need someone to stop and notice that we are in trouble. A kind deed, a soft word, and something that warms the soul with a glimmer of hope can be a miracle. I am grateful someone was there for me and my friends. Now I hope to do the same for others. I hope you will too.”

From Flannigan: “There is so much to love about life! What isn’t there to love? I’m busy taking it all in. Sometimes I move too fast I guess. But I just can’t get enough of everything. I’ve been kind of thinking that the older cats in here need to lighten up a bit. But I’m starting to see that maybe they also have some wisdom to offer me. Maybe I need to slow down just a little bit and listen a little more. But there is so much to do! Ok, so I am grateful for windows. I love to look out the windows. My favorite things to watch are birds and snowflakes. But I like to watch from the inside where I am warm. Life is just too good to waste time not paying attention to things.”

From Bayberry: “For the first time in my life I am finding great joy. For many years, I was passed around from place to place to place, never finding anyplace that even made sense to me. My body broke down at times. People tried to make me do things that made me feel crazy inside. I felt like I was always running down a steep hill at a full gallop and unable to stop. That was not a good feeling. Now, I’ve had to learn to slow down. No one is asking me to be someone that I am not. And that started a weird process for me, because I didn’t actually know who I was. I am grateful for this new beginning. This is a new me. And for the first time, things are starting to feel like they are making sense. And I found the place now that I never want to leave. They tell me I can stay here forever. I am most incredibly grateful for that!”

From Fozzie: “I am grateful to feel so safe that I can sleep and dream.  I love to dream. I love many things. I love to be with my friends all snuggled in the straw while we all share our warmth and snore and dream. It is a gift to feel cozy. It matters to me to be dry and clean. In my dreams I run around in the sun and dig for tasty morsels in the ground. And the perfect day also includes a nice wallow in the creek for good measure. On days when it is cold and snowy, I can still dream of all my favorite things. I think memories are there for us so that in times that we don’t have our favorite things that we can always feel what it is like to have them. I am grateful to humans who have given me good memories to savor now. The sun can disappear behind the clouds but my memories of what that sun feels like are always there no matter what.”

From Tom: “I am very grateful to know love even when I’ve known great loss. I lost my human companion and that was very sad. He loved me very much. I am old now too. And then I found myself alone. I didn’t know what would happen but then I was brought here. It is much different for me than where I lived before. But I cherish this place and their willingness to help an old man find comfort when I needed it most. I am grateful to have known such great love and to know that one day I will see my human friend again and he will have known that I was safe here. I know this makes him happy and it makes me happy too.”

From Daisy: “I am grateful for times that are quiet and peaceful. Humans create a lot of chaos around them. I’m sorry but it’s true. We will have the most amazingly beautiful, quiet, peaceful day here where my friend Minnie and I are grazing out in the sunshine and enjoying a quiet time when, all of a sudden, humans come in without even noticing that things were just fine before they got there. Then they come in talking and talking and running equipment and before you know it we get scared and run back inside.  There went our peaceful moment. You all need to learn to slow down and breathe. You think sheep are shy or, worse yet, some say we are stupid. The truth is, we are just quiet. And to you that feels very alien. My hope is that you will find the gift of quiet and peace. You’d be much better off and wouldn’t struggle so much.”

From Charlie: “I am grateful for laughter. And I will do anything I have to in life to be sure I can hear someone laugh. The problem is that sometimes people don’t have the sense of humor I feel they should have. When I notice that, I move into action. First, I get their attention. It can be stealing their glove or unzipping their jacket, whatever it takes. And then, I show them how they are being far to serious. Be grateful to laugh. Life is about living. It is important to take a moment each day and find something that makes you smile inside. And when you find that moment, let that smile come from the inside to the outside and you will brighten someone else’s day. That is my philosophy. So next time you think I’m being naughty, take a moment to find the humor. Ok…. Well, sometimes I admit I can be just a little naughty too.”

From Luna: “When the sun comes up each day, I feel gratitude to be included in another day. I don’t like winter or being cold, but, on a cold day when I see my breath float away from my body, I am grateful to see the breath I take for granted each moment. Life is a sacred gift and opportunity. In every second and with every breath we can make a difference to someone else and even to ourselves. Moment by moment I remember this to get me through the times that are not as easy. Sometimes gratitude comes from looking at things once they are behind us. But we need to hold in our hearts the truth that in the tough times, things will move if we let them, and the sun will come up again – and we will have another chance to feel grateful.”

Animal Message of the Day:

From Misty Mew:  “I am grateful to have purpose. Someone threw me out of their car and left me on the side of the road. You can’t get much more lost than that. I didn’t know what to do. But, I saw a light and headed for it. I was lucky. It brought me here. I waited at the door. It was the only thing to do. It turns out that I was very lucky. We have a lot of cats here. All of us have different stories. But I wanted something different. I realized that this place needed a cat to greet people at the door, just like someone greeted me when I was most lost. Lots of people come in our doors who truly feel lost inside. They may not say it, but I know it, because I’ve been there. Now, I’ve made myself the greeter cat. And I let everyone know they are welcome to be here. Their hearts can rest a minute or two here with us. I am grateful to have found my purpose.”

It’s that time of the year again! Back by popular demand, we will once again be bringing you our traditional holiday offering to all of you. From Thanksgiving, 11/ 28 – 12/31/19 we will daily post a message from an animal along with their photo. Dawn Hayman, Animal Communicator and co-founder of Spring Farm CARES, will be asking the animals of SFC what they are most grateful for in life. You won’t want to miss their messages. To start things off as a preview, Dawn’s dog Jessie weighs in:

From Frankie: “I have lost my vision but I have never lost sight of who I am. Nor have I forgotten that life is beautiful. I am most grateful for my companions. And my companions come in many shapes and sizes and forms. I learn from all of them. No one should ever feel sorry for me for being blind because if you cannot see the hope and joy I have found in my life even without vision, then you are the one who is blind. Limitations are what you make of them. You can either see them for what they are, learn from them, and grow. Or you can let those limitations shut you down from living. I am very much alive. And I am grateful for every moment I have to live this life for which I have been gifted.”

From Joy: “I have a unique view on life because I nearly died – twice. For me, when I came to that instant to decide to stay or not, the very thing that drew me back to fight to stay alive was what I was grateful for in life. I have learned a lot of things about the world. I have learned that even though humans scare me, I can be brave to step forward and open up a new perspective to have them in my world. I have learned that safety is something I can nurture by learning to trust. When I trust more, my world becomes safer. I used to think I had to find safety and then learn how to trust. But actually, it is the other way around. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn this valuable lesson. I am grateful to be alive.”