Life got better once we started every morning by communing with donkeys. Donkeys are spirit animals, they have been around humans for thousands and thousands of years, they are intuitive creatures, they sense our moods and intentions. Maria’s emotions are always close to the surface, and the donkeys are finely tuned to her moods and feelings. She kneels in front of them, and they get close.

This is not just something they like, but something they need. The connection between them is palpable. For them, for us, this is grounding.