Yesterday we went to our first "weigh in" for our 4-H pigs who are now 5 months old and WAY TOO BIG thank you very much. All the trucks and stock trailers line up, painful ear tags are shot into ears and distress is had by all breeds. The little goats being lead and yanked by their pint sized owners made me sad. My boys clung to my side and whipsered "they're being mean". Back in april I mentioned about my struggle with this livestock venture. (just now getting a friendly nudge from miss Blossom :) I just can't seem to seperate the beast from the soul. Some experienced farm moms told me i'll get used to it.
I hope i never do.
I hope i never do.
Maybe in the dinosaur world i was a swamp thing that only ate plants or maybe i was a lamb or a cow who only ate grass. Maybe I wandered the Umbrian hills with the naked St Francis 800 years ago and talked to birds. Besides the whole vegetarian/carnivore discussion, i am most curious about the friends i see in animals. I LOVE ANIMALS. So, when i see a goat in distress or a pig in a panic i want to mother them into calmness, gain back the trust that makes us all friends. Its a pull i cannot deny.
A funny devout mom i know was giving me crap at the soccer field one day, saying how disgusting is it that i have a lamb. She now calls me Mrs. DOOLITTLE. I am flattered which was surely not the idea. The only thing i remember about being raised Catholic is the day we celebrated the animals. ( and my communion at which i secretly pretended to marry Adam as we walked down the aisle in our fancy wedding outfits) There was a big altar spilling with flowers and statues of little lambies and animals. It was the most glorious thing i had ever seen. Then, much later a friend told me of a cathedral in New York City she attended where she witnessed everything from a newt on a pillow to an elephant being lead down the aisle to the tune of harmonic angels in a grand procession of blessings. Oh how i would love to see that!!
Its pagan and christian, weird and wonderful but most importantly a ritual with pure intent - acknowledging that we all are blessed creatures - ALL OF US -from the slimey spotted to the coiffed, waxed and clothed. its the ALL ONE principle and it just feels right.
What do you think?? I'd love to hear.
xo milady
