From Jim: We have a bunch of water tanks. That figures since we have a bunch of equines. It takes awhile to fill them, around an hour and a half. This can be one one of the nicest parts of the day. It's a quiet activity, standing with a running hose and watching the water rise. Pretty much every stop along the way, from tank to tank, finds a critter that wants to share this time. They want petted and loved and to be with you. By now, we know their "favorite" spots, and the lip moving and neck stretching are fun to watch when you get it just right. The peace that comes with these times is priceless. The sound of the gurgling water, the smell and touch of a big old critter that needs some attention, maybe a clattering raven or the wind brushing the trees, all of that is food for the soul. I think about the meaning of sanctuary a lot. The notion that a time and place is set aside to promise peace and safety and love. It's a state of mind and a state of being. Most everyone that visits Home At Last comments on how peaceful the animals are. They don't expect that this many can get along and quietly live their lives. We have simply come to expect it. The wild rumpuses are a celebration, not a contentiousness. The occasional squeal and snort is horsing, not fighting. The "knees and necks" of the GET YOU game is playful and joyful. I think the natural response to safety and kindness is peace and gentleness. Our critters have been through so much. They've overcome so much. Way deep in their beings is the capacity to be the driving energy of the sanctuary. They bring the feeling that people always comment on. Having been a soldier and a policeman, I've known conflict. I wish that the world could know sanctuary. I wish the world could spend some time with me, filling water tanks.
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