a blue egg from Margaret's "farm"
My friend Margaret lives up the road. She and her partner have a farm of sorts…chickens, dogs, cats, donkeys and goats …the dogs, cats, donkeys and goats are all rescued animals. The only animals that “produce” anything on their farm are the chickens. I was telling her yesterday that one of my favorite things to do was to gather eggs and she invited me over to collect that day’s eggs.
As we walked around the barns looking for eggs, goats followed us, crowding around, pushing their heads into our bodies …loving it when we scratched them. I had never looked into a goat’s eyes before….the depth of expression in and on their faces was startling, especially close up.
I wasn’t raised with animals (except cats) so I am not totally comfortable around a farm, but there was an aliveness that I felt, surrounded by goats and chickens, that was palpable. I love the mystery of animals, and I can feel that they give something powerfully healing “in exchange” for food and shelter…they probably give it anyway….I am sure that they do.
There’s so little that we really know about life. What the purpose of a life is. …whether that life takes the form of a goat, a chicken, a butterfly…a person. We all are filling in the pieces of a beautiful puzzle . There are no extra pieces, and none missing. I can tend to get so preoccupied with being “productive” that I forget why I am here….only to love, and to be loved, by those that “surround me”.
I have a small flock of chickens – there is something so grounding and peaceful about their presence – though they can drive me crazy sometimes – like yesterday – I bought some lovely ruffly dark purple pansies and was working outside on the picnic table potting them up. I went inside for a few minutes to answer the phone – when I suddenly heard my husband shouting for me – those darned chickens were up on the picnic table feasting on my pansies!!!
Many years ago, during a hard time in my life I was quite preoccupied with the need to know the PURPOSE of life – in the end came the understanding that it wasn’t important to know the answer – the point was to accept this gift of life that has been given unconditionally.
It’s important for me to remember this – thank you Mary!!
What a lovely meditative time for you Mary! I have had such a lovely morning, I just want to share it with you and all my fellow Mary Muncil followers. We are having unseasonably warm weather this weekend so I came out to do yoga on my deck this morning, which was great. Then I made coffee and brought it out to the deck to enjoy. The sun was just coming up thru a bank of clouds and it outlined the tops of the clouds as if someone had colored them in with paints. Streaks of yellow white and blue fanned out across the sky, it was beautiful! I am sitting here still watching as it fades into another day. God is indeed good! I feel like i’ve been to the most beautiful chapel in the world this morning
Happy Sunday Morning, Mary, and all who read this blog.
I had to interrupt typing this to let my 2 Labs in from the dog run. They had set up a wolfish howling- reverberating back to their ancestry! What set off the howling? I do not know. But it was a clear reminder that my beloved “babies” who sit quietly and give me their paws in unison to get their treats….are wild creatures at their core. Living with dogs teaches me to be present to the moment. Their brains are not so busy, but their eyes, ears, noses, and instincts are always alert and aware…brining me into their moment.
Let us all enjoy the moments of this lovely April day. Mary Rita
Mary, I LOVE your comment this morning and I like all the replies you’ve gotten so far (Lynne, Terri and Mary). Life IS a wonderful gift and I’m so glad I’ve reached the age where I can appreciate it rather than get caught up in the frenetic and sometimes superficial aspects of today’s clime. Thanks Mary for another great blog, and thanks to you ladies for adding such good perspectives.
I remember my first goat experience. My sister and I went to a friends farm to see the llamas, wow,talk about wonderful animals, llamas are it, and they had a huge potbellied pig, and horses and chickens and goats, I had no idea how funny and friendly they are! One followed us around the entire time, apparently fell in love with my sister, tried to eat her jacket, it was such a funny wonderful day…..
I really love this post. I came late to being an “animal person.” Wow, what I missed out on. Can’t imagine not ever having them in my life. And I just don’t get how anyone can claim they have no souls, all you have to do is look into their eyes. And, yes, they are a powerful lesson in learning that being kind and loving is enough. As well as being grateful.
I enjoy all your messages but this one touched me in a profound way. I too have a tendency to be preoccupied with being productive. I typically measure the success of my day by how much I am able to accomplish. As I get older, I’m learning to relax and enjoy the little things. It’s something I am working on each day. Today I gave my 2 Collies a bath. It’s a time consuming task that I often dread. Today I made of point of being more playful with them and we all had a great time! Your message was a beautiful reminder to be more engaged in the love that surrounds us – human and animal love!
I’ve been amazed by chickens, how they can learn their names. Towns around where I am are starting to allow residents to keep so many hens for eggs.
Most of my spiritual animal experiences come from horses and border collies. My life would not be complete without them.
We get so many messages in society to be productive, even in our down time. I like you ending to this message – I’m not sure yet I feel that is my purpose, but I do believe my purpose is more than being productive all the time.
Nancy
http://dogear6.wordpress.com/
And Mary, consider how many *more* people are surrounding you now that you’re blogging! You’ve greatly widened your circle of love, and I feel blessed to include myself in that circle (whether you want me or not! ha!).
You bet I want you in it!!! Thank you for those wonderful words and thoughts! I just came out of a meditation and opened my computer to read your words…Thank you,
Mary
O Mary, I LOVED gathering eggs on my grandmother’s farm. We looked in all kinds of places, even in the weeds where some of the hens chose to lay. Every discovery was such a delight! and to watch the basket fill up-wow!. Thank you for tapping into this memory which reminds me that I should never stop searching and delighting in the find!!
one of my blog followers (Folkways Notebook) suggested your blog to me and I’m really enjoying it on RSS feed, but this post particularly struck me as I am in an existential mood today, writing on Twitter: does existence need to be justified? If so, how? If not, why? Your post just really struck a cord with me and I wanted to let you know that. Thanks!