Vegan lifestyle articles that discuss ways of living in peace with humans, animals, and the environment.
The Gentle Barn
July 2018
In our fast, high paced, technological world, where there is information coming at us from all sides, and constant noise, we all need a sanctuary. A place to be ourselves. A place to rest peacefully in quiet connection with who we really are.
When I was a child, my sanctuary was the woods and lakes near me. And all
the magical creatures who lived there were my friends. When painful things
were happening to me, I knew that when I galloped outside, barefoot, long
hair whipping behind me, nature would embrace and heal me; and it always
did.
When I built the first Gentle Barn to be a sanctuary for animals I found at
an abusive petting zoo, with their matted coats, overgrown nails, and
terrified eyes, I wanted them to feel the same way I did in the forests when
they came home to the barnyard. I wanted them to exhale, feel safe and cared
for, and start their recovery. I worked hard to ensure the straw was thick,
the sand was absorbing and soft, the water was clean, the shelter was warm
and dry, and the food was fresh and plentiful. And then four years later
when Jay and I moved The Gentle Barn to Santa Clarita, we did the same
thing. We drilled each post hole with all the strength we could muster. We
planted each tree with excitement, imagining all the animals who would rest
in its shade. We planned the property’s layout carefully to maximize each
animal's experience. And we put so much love into everything we did so the
animals would feel that love when they came home to it. We repeated that
same process in Knoxville and then St Louis. And now today we are working
very hard to do the same in Nashville. Each beam of wood is hand chosen to
be the strongest. Every stroke of the paint brush is done with the most
reverence. And the days are filled with gratitude that we get to do this
work.
We know that whatever we give to this project is what the animals, children,
and guests will get out of it. Jay and I are much older than the first time
we built our sanctuary in Santa Clarita, so it takes much more determination
to get the job done. We will not allow our age to deter us, however. Our
minds are sharp, our hearts are open, and we are full of determination to
make The Nashville Gentle Barn spectacular! We are so thankful to all our
wonderful volunteers who are coming to help us.
We searched for the perfect property in Tennessee for about two years. First
looking in Knoxville, and when we found nothing suitable, we expanded our
search to Nashville. It was Jay who first went to look at properties in
Nashville. Over the course of several months, he must have looked at about
forty places. He sorted the list by location, acreage, price, and amenities.
By the time Jay was done looking he had three favorites. That’s when I flew
in to see them.
All three properties were gorgeous: about equal proximity to Nashville and
the airport, similar asking price, and all had a house and at least one
barn. The deciding factor would be how they felt. Although the first one had
the most land with the most beautiful home, the energy there felt dark and
bleak. It was green, spacious, and beautiful, but I could not picture our
animals there, it just didn’t feel like a sanctuary. When we pulled up to
the second place and stepped out of the car, a smile spread immediately over
my face, I felt peaceful and full of joy. As I looked out over the land, I
could see our cows grazing, horses playing, pigs splashing in their pool,
and the birds exploring. It was as if they were already there. The land
itself was healing and rejuvenating. I felt like I was seven again and
wanted to pull off my shoes and go play in the pond. I was drawn to the
pastures and woods as if they were long lost friends. We went to see the
third place just to cover our basis, but I already knew without any doubt
that we had found our sanctuary.
In our fast, high paced, technological world, where there is information
coming at us from all sides, and constant noise, we all need a sanctuary. A
place to be ourselves. A place to rest peacefully in quiet connection with
who we really are. A place where we feel hopeful and can sample the best of
humanity. And a place where we feel safe. Where is your sanctuary? Is it
home, in your bed or garden? In a park or hiking trails? At the ocean?
Nature is always there for us! And if you don’t have a sanctuary, The Gentle
Barn and our animal angels are right here waiting for you!
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