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May 4, 2021: Storm(y) Watch

It began raining early this evening. The air smelled like spring, fresh and sweet. I’d forgotten what a spring storm smelled like. So, yes, spring is here.

All the animals made it through a longer-than-average winter. I was most concerned about Tinni. I should have been most concerned about Stormy. It seems to me (for real) to be life’s greatest unfairness that she made it through several storms, and now might now get to enjoy the good bits.

I haven’t written her off yet. She is bright eyed and is eating. She really likes hay pellets. And she’s consuming lots of hay pellets. But she’s not standing. This


Stormy Alys and chicken

morning Pete and I moved her with a skijoring sling. We cleaned the shed pen and left her in a comfortable position.

All day I wondered, what is the meaning of life? I am not a person of faith – I have not and most likely will never make that Kierkegaardian leap. I used to scoff at those who had, but in recent years have come to respect these individuals. I admittedly, also feel a bit guilty when they say they will pray for me or my sick animals, because I feel like I’m taking advantage of their largess. I should say, thank you, I’ll do my own praying. But no, I just continue to live off the proverbial company dole.

I also found myself wondering if Stormy is sticking around on our behalf. I think Rover the Goat did. Peaches the Goat said “no way am I sticking around. I’m out of here. See you in the afterlife.”

Too often, we talk about animals rather than talk to them. I think this is because we consider them to be less intelligent creatures than us because they can’t speak. But I am convinced they understand most of the time what we are getting at. On our end, we need to listen to what they have to say in response to what we are saying. This isn’t anthropomorphism. Anthropomorphism is projecting what we think they are thinking. Listen carefully, and an animal will tell you directly what it is thinking.

I have not yet listened carefully enough to Stormy. But I do need to tell her that if it is her time, and she decides to check out, then by all means, go. We’ll feel bad for a while, and then in time come to accept the fact that this the natural course of events.

I think that the reason why we sometimes try to keep animals alive is because we don’t know what life in the hereafter is like. It could be that living things simply cease to have any form of consciousness. Or it could be that they are reincarnated. Or it could be that they go to heaven or hell. We haven’t a clue.

Our supposedly “stupid” animals might know, but they are remaining mum on the subject. Hard to say. The best we can do right now is to listen to Stormy, and as best we can, assist her in making her decision.

Next: 124. 5/5/21: Hrimfara’s Ninth Birthday

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