The interesting thing about being sick is that makes me appreciate being well. Empathy is temporal, it sometimes takes suffering to make us understand suffering, and in our world right now, empathy seems in short supply sometimes. Maria and I were both uncharacteristically sick this week, she with an abscess tooth, me with viral gastroenteritis, she got well just as I got sick, I took care of her, now she is taking care of me, there is a beautiful symmetry to that.

Maria was in much pain all week, I was in much distress. I love taking care of her, she loves taking care of me. I used to think nobody wanted to take care of me when I was sick, I see now it can be a gift, a pure act of love, of giving. I trust it now, it is a wonderful thing to feel.

Early Friday, in the middle of the night, I got ill and I went outside to be sick as the old farmers do – don’t want to make a mess inside – and I went out to the side of the barn with Red, I was in a nightshirt and slippers, it was misty and foggy and I was leaning over against the pasture fence, and suddenly a large shadow loomed and startled me with a joyous bray – Simon. I have always believed donkeys are the most intuitive animals I have ever known and Simon came close, and sniffed me carefully and pressed his nose against my shoulder.

When I was done, I went inside of the barn and brought him a cookie. Out of the mist, Lulu and Fanny appeared, donkeys always know when cookies are out, they hear the sound of the can being opened. I stood with Simon for a bit, “boy do I feel rotten,” I said, and we stood there for a bit, I had the sense he was trying to heal me, a sense I often get from the donkeys, and then it was just too cold and I started shivering and I went back into bed.

I am fortunate to get to know these remarkable creatures, they see and hear and know more than we can imagine, in their own way, on their own terms, in their own time. I am sorry for those who are sick, so many much worse than me, but everything is a gift, it opens doors and windows,  helps us to feel, sharpens our idea of what it means to be a human being. I am feeling better this morning, I am eager to get outside and take some photos. I appreciate being well, what it means to feel better.