I was sitting tonight, watching Specs sniff my fingers, then rub against my hand. I thought again who absolutely amazing the trust of an animal is. It is something that produces a feeling of awe in me... something so profound. Take Maluco. He was my baby. I was there at his birth. I miss him so much. He was the ultimate farm cat. He had no need for humans in his life, being totally self-sufficient, but every day, when I called, he'd come running home and sleep holding my mouse captive (yes, my mouse is under him in this photo) and at night, he'd sleep at the foot of my bed. When he was injured, he dragged himself home... how, I don't know. No one could touch him. He was in incredible pain, but he submitted to my nursing. He was extremely leery of other people after that, other than the three of us, of course. Trust.
One of my favourite quotes:
"Many of you have forgotten this truth
but you must never forget it:
you remain responsible, forever,
for what you have tamed."
by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
I so often wonder how people can do harm to animals, especially those we have tamed... whose trust we have gained.
Then I got thinking... it is the same with my friends. I so often feel in awe of the friendship that is offered to me. It is a little like taming, isn't it? Only a little. It boils down to gaining the trust of another, especially when there is no need or tie that keeps them there.
Amazing...
Strange world - I'm sitting talking to my mom about a trust issue with someone who hurt my mom in the past by proving to be VERY untrustworthy... and I come back online to this.
ReplyDeleteI think trust is a very underrated gift friends (furry or human) give to each other.