A few minutes with Cal...

From Jim: Every so often someone asks us why we do what we do. Why have you "dedicated" your life to taking care of horses? The answer to that is not some grand and noble calling that will earn us a place in the "goodie-two-shoes" hall of fame. It's because of times like the few minutes I had with Cal this morning. Cal came to us by way of Butte County Animal Control. He had been darn near starved to death. When he arrived at the sanctuary, we were cautioned that he was a wild boy, hard to catch and pretty high strung. He had been at the AC facility long enough to have most of his weight back on, but was sure in need of some kind hands-on attention. That was a while back. Cal is a big love now. Comes when called and expects a pet on his ears. He has a lot of friends in the Backyard Bunch, mostly hangs with the other Arabians. He was sunbathing by the fence this morning after feeding time. I went and stood across the fence from him. When he stirred awake, he leaned in for a pet. I advised him he would have to "come close" and, like always, he stepped forward. A gentle nose bump on my extended hand completed the greeting and it was on to some serious ear scratching and T-touches on his neck. Often, Cal will close his eyes and soak up the attention. Today, he needed good solid eye contact. He needed me to softly praise him and let him know what a really good boy he is. He needed to share his peace and happiness with me. So, why do we do what we do? I guess you could ask Cal. He knows. Life gets by pretty quickly. Time passes, no matter what you're up to. The sanctuary is a place where time is filled with precious irreplaceable moments with great souls, like Cal's. I'm pretty sure he, or one of his herd mates, would share with you too. It'll clear up any questions about Why.