Animal Message of the Day

From Shawnee:

“I’d like to talk about friendship. When I came here to the farm as a baby, I was surrounded by older horses that took me in and raised me as their own. My own mother had died when I was born. I never even knew her. But my new surrogate mother and friends saw me through. But they were all older and while I benefited from their wisdom, I watched each of them die of old age and illness. At first, I thought this was going to be a life of loss. I got a bit lost in that sadness. I lost my way. I disconnected from others. And I kind of fell aside from the herd. But then one day, a horse came in who needed a friend. He was old. He was in bad shape. But my human friends trusted me to be with him, because they knew I understood how to be with the old and frail. Something happened to me in that moment where I suddenly realized I had a great purpose. This wasn’t about loss and sadness at all. This life was about companionship and healing. Because even if my time with them is shorter, what I learn from them is far greater than anything I could ever know. I have the richest life! Now, as I grow older, I have a deeper wisdom within me. Love is the greatest gift we can give to another, no matter how long or short a time we have with them. There is no time to waste. Love is now.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Dandy:

“Play, eat, sleep. Run, leap, spin around. Find things, hide them on the humans, and make games out of everything. Snuggle for just a second, then move on as if there is something urgent to do. These are the things I busied myself doing. But sometimes I don’t know what I’m here for or what I’m supposed to be doing. I nearly died, yet I fought back hard and survived. There must be something bigger for me in this life. But sometimes I can’t find myself with all the chaos going on around me. Do you ever feel that? Does this happen to you too? Maybe we can figure this out together.  I am curious about all of it. Are you?”

Animal Message of the Day

From Luna:

“I love participating in this every year. But why do you only look for inspiration from us once a year? Seriously, you should come check in with us more often. Now, being a goat offers me a very unique perspective in life. I love being a goat. Goats really have something special. We have a connection to the earth that is very strong. And we also love to play and be silly. You humans need more of all of those things. When I see a human taking things too seriously (which is like everyday!) then I have to jump into action. A goat body is made for expression. I can make people laugh in an instant. I can make them talk baby talk to me and do the silliest things. And if need be, I can be downright annoying as well. I admit it, it’s true. My message is simple. Wake up each day and have your first thought be that you have awakened to a new day. All the rest will unfold. Wake up with gratitude. Go to bed with gratitude. If you would do that, your whole life would change. But who would believe a goat anyway?”

Animal Message of the Day

From Molly:

“Every year I have been at this farm, which is a long time now, I have been asked this question. I love to share what it’s like for me to have no eyes and still be able to see more than most of you with two. I don’t say that with any judgment or negativity. I truly don’t. But you humans sometimes get very set in your ways and you tend to see things through a very narrow lens. If you could see with your heart, you would see so much more beauty in the world. I can see smiles because I feel them deep within me. I can still see colors because I can feel them and smell them and taste them. I can see the truth of whoever stands before me, even when they themselves cannot. I see their beauty. I see their tremendous worth. And I hope that by sharing just a momentary touch or breath together, that they can see themselves through my heart. You are all truly beautiful creatures. And I am happy to see you inside of my heart the way I do. I hope you’ll try that too. You’d change your world into something you’d find much easier and safer for all of you.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Gizmo:

“I know a thing or two about feeling hopeless and despondent. I dedicate my message to those of you who may feel lost or feel the loss of someone else around you. I understand a heavy heart as mine has been heavy before too. I felt like life had no meaning and there was no sense continuing on. Boy was I ever wrong. What changed my mind and healed my heart was the love and belief of someone stepping in and saying to me, ‘I want you to be here.’ Just to feel wanted again was incredible. We all need to belong. And when we feel we don’t belong, it is important to understand that we each have a unique place in this world and a beautiful plan. But if we separate ourselves out from our own destiny, then we become disconnected. Believe me, I know this is true. If you have the ability to be the light in someone’s darkness, it is a gift that is as precious as life.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Merlin:

“I may not see as well as I once did. I can’t fly like I once enjoyed. My body is a bit more rickety now. But my joy is still flowing. I love all of my friends of so many species. I have cats and birds and rabbits and guinea pigs and of course humans. Over the years, I loved my dogs too. I used to be able to call them and they’d come over and I’d drop food to them. It was funny. Yes, I miss the ones who are no longer here. I’ve seen a lot of lives come and go. One day I too will leave this body. But when I do, I will leave richly filled with the most amazing experiences and I will be forever grateful for the opportunities of this lifetime. Your life if your most precious gift. Don’t waste it worrying about how you are doing. Just live it the best way you can. And be grateful and kind and loving. You can never go wrong with that.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Mary Beth:

Mary Beth: “I have a very unique view of life. Seriously, I’m not talking about something philosophical here. This is anatomy and science. I was born with my head crooked and I cannot lift my head up very far. So I have always seen and experienced life from a different and unique perspective. No one here sees things the same way that I do. But in reality, that is true about all of us. Each one of us has a unique look at the world. But there is not a single one of us that sees things the way they really are. Each of us sees our own unique little piece. When we put them all together, we get a grander view and a deeper understanding. But when we criticize how another sees the world, we are losing a key piece of understanding and perspective. We should listen to what each of us sees because when we do, we’d all be a lot happier. I guarantee you that I see things about you that you might not even see about yourself. And you may also look at me and think you see a perspective about me that is not true for me. We need to listen to one another without judgment and always with compassion. We’d learn so much more.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Max:

“Oh there is so much to be happy about. One could look at me, and maybe some people do, and think that I have a lot of problems in life. But, you have to realize that I had problems in life for sure. But what I also found were a lot of solutions. If you focus only on the problems and difficulties in life then you will miss the very solutions you are looking for. Be on the ever lookout for miracles because they will find you. But you have to be willing to welcome them. If I stare at my empty food bowl and focus on the fact that there is nothing in there, I could be filled with sadness. But if I look at that empty food bowl and feel grateful that I just ate all the food and there will be more coming, then I will live in a state of gratitude and hopefulness. Not everyone has a bowl that gets filled. A lot of cats would do anything for the ability to even have a bowl. My point is this, you need to focus on what you have and what is coming and not on the problems for which you can’t in this moment see the solution. The solution will be shown to you when you welcome the answer, and not a moment before that time.”

Animal Message of the Day

From Mary:

“I like when there is a sense of quiet around me. Sometimes life moves too darn fast. What the heck is the hurry? You all speed around like you have to be somewhere that you can’t get to fast enough. But you rarely stop to enjoy where you are. If you’d enjoy each moment, you would actually get to where you are headed much quicker and with way more joy and peace. I have had a lot of change in my life. Many times I didn’t belong where I was. Sometimes I was alone and frightened. Yet, it was all that change that brought me exactly to what I was looking for – a family. If I hadn’t gone through the discomfort of change, I’d still be alone and afraid and certain that there was no hope for anything else. Instead, I ended up finding sheep friends and lots of animal and human friends who treat me like I’m special. Slow down. Be in the moment. One thing is certain. Things will change. They always do.”

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.”