Loose Lips!
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Donkey Despondency
A sad donkey whose owner was worried about her...and how that was resolved.
The Universe keeps signaling I am walking my authentic path. This week I did some bodywork on a mammoth donkey I originally met at the Longhopes Donkey Shelter several years ago. I will call her HD, for Heart Donkey. The Longhopes’ session was for training, as HD had been uncooperative at her adoptive home and had seemingly forgotten how to be led…(not!)
The first bodywork session took place at HD’s adopted home at least 2 years after the training session at Longhopes. At that time I happened to be accompanying Ross when HD recognized me and made overtures for contact. Despite having a 5 star home with a 5 star owner, HD was aloof. Per her people, she behaved well enough, but she did not particularly care to interact.
After HD walked up to me, I asked if I could do some bodywork on her. I found it difficult to keep my composure although it wasn’t the first time I have felt overwhelmed with sadness - grief, even - when working on an equid. Often owners balk at hearing their animals are sad and wave the suggestion into thin air with an exclamation,
“Oh, for Pete’s sake! I give “name the equid” more than I give myself!”
I get it! I really do! In truth though, the reason for sadness often has not much to do with the owner! Most equids have had lives previous to the owner in any case. We ought not to make the mistake of blowing off their pain, sadness or fear as being invalid. Nor do we need to assume an issue is “all about us.” If you invalidate a feeling, you invalidate the essence of the animal. Or a person, for that matter. In HD’s case, she relaxed into deep processing with a minimum of bodywork that first session, and her owner listened to me without judgment.
After not seeing any of the players for quite some time, HD’s owner thanked me yesterday. To paraphrase, she said that when she learned of HD’s sorrow and acknowledged its validity (presumably from the uprooting of her original home and her companion) HD allowed her 5 star owner into her heart. HD has been heard! She and her person have been heartful buddies ever since. Her person told me yesterday,
“You made our relationship possible, and I thank you for that.”
Warm fuzzies here, a few tears to sting the eyes, and validation for HD, too. I worked on HD yesterday for body issues and I did not feel even a whisper of sorrow. What I felt instead, was rooted contentment. Best.ending.ever.
The first bodywork session took place at HD’s adopted home at least 2 years after the training session at Longhopes. At that time I happened to be accompanying Ross when HD recognized me and made overtures for contact. Despite having a 5 star home with a 5 star owner, HD was aloof. Per her people, she behaved well enough, but she did not particularly care to interact.
After HD walked up to me, I asked if I could do some bodywork on her. I found it difficult to keep my composure although it wasn’t the first time I have felt overwhelmed with sadness - grief, even - when working on an equid. Often owners balk at hearing their animals are sad and wave the suggestion into thin air with an exclamation,
“Oh, for Pete’s sake! I give “name the equid” more than I give myself!”
I get it! I really do! In truth though, the reason for sadness often has not much to do with the owner! Most equids have had lives previous to the owner in any case. We ought not to make the mistake of blowing off their pain, sadness or fear as being invalid. Nor do we need to assume an issue is “all about us.” If you invalidate a feeling, you invalidate the essence of the animal. Or a person, for that matter. In HD’s case, she relaxed into deep processing with a minimum of bodywork that first session, and her owner listened to me without judgment.
After not seeing any of the players for quite some time, HD’s owner thanked me yesterday. To paraphrase, she said that when she learned of HD’s sorrow and acknowledged its validity (presumably from the uprooting of her original home and her companion) HD allowed her 5 star owner into her heart. HD has been heard! She and her person have been heartful buddies ever since. Her person told me yesterday,
“You made our relationship possible, and I thank you for that.”
Warm fuzzies here, a few tears to sting the eyes, and validation for HD, too. I worked on HD yesterday for body issues and I did not feel even a whisper of sorrow. What I felt instead, was rooted contentment. Best.ending.ever.
Published on 24 August 2021