My family came from an island off the coast of St.John's Newfoundland.
Grandfather always had chickens, rabbits, horses, goats ..... animals.
I befriended the huge pig at our neighbours and spent my time sitting on the fence
watching the dogs coral cows there. There were kidsto play with but I really enjoyed
being near the animals.
By the time I was 10 we were fully converted big city people in the metropolis of Toronto.
I'd still bring home any stray animal I could find..... when I was 18-19 I moved out in a
bit of a huff and the trigger was a stray cat that Mom listed in the paper as free to good home.
As far as I was concerned he had a good home - mine !
I moved about an hour north of the city then with my cat ....
25 yrs later , married with kids , house, land.
Mom (and other family) members have NEVER come to understand my love
for animals. This summer I got chickens and when I happily told family about the plan
I got " WHAT??? are you crazy?" I've lived in a rural area surrounded by miles of cornfields
my neighbour has a horse .... what's so crazy? My brother even joked that I was adopted because I am
not like anyone in the family. I guess because it's part of my deep down basic nature it's like
an insult .... it's part of my personality - and when the people who are supposed to accept you
for who you are dismiss it , doesn't feel very nice even if they think it's just a joke.
I don't get huffy anymore like I did when I was 18-19 , still wish there were more who
appreciated the things that I find interesting and enjoyed. If they don't , fine, I don't make fun of the things
that interest them (blackberry's or ipods or wii games ....)
I now have my neice (14) and my daughter(5.5) the 3 of us love to be together hiking and looking for deer tracks or listening for wild bird sounds
or collecting moths or howling back at the coyotes and we think it's the coolest way to spend the day.
Husband isn't as interested in raising chickens as I am but he is interested in wood working and building so we found our way
to encourage and combine both interests.
I learned something years ago- a person is born an animal lover or not ....
from watching friends kids growing up they were all so different , some couldn't get enough of
watching birds , or playing with a dog or going to the zoo .... others couldn't be bothered.
For me I feel connected to the world if I understand where the animals fits in to the big picture.
I don't feel like I am the top of the food chain, I feel like I am part the natural system where we all have
to survive. To make an connetion with an animal is a miracle - for them to be just as interested in me as I am in them
is awesome. They don't have to bother in any way but they often do.
Don't take it personally, there isn't much you can say to people to change their thinking most of the time.
I bet they know they couldn't do what you do everyday to care for the animals and it's interesting how they
use the "money" argument to justify their opinions ..... spend the money you earn on what you want - they do.
Della
