Eclipse went out to pasture this week for the first time ever. If you missed the video of her running, check it out on Facebook or Instagram, it is so sweet! I wanted to let you know how much Eclipse’s birth and life means to us. Every animal at The Gentle Barn is family and every rescue is important, but Eclipse is now the embodiment of every animal in slaughterhouses right now who have no voice, who are not celebrated, and who are not thought of at all.

On September 16th Eclipse was born. We did a live stream of her birth while thousands of people from all over the world watched, cried, commented, and celebrated with us. While that one tiny cow made an entrance at The Gentle Barn, thousands more were born at the exact same time in slaughterhouses and dairies around the country. No one, however, celebrated those births. No one cried tears of joy when they took their first steps. No one held their breath waiting for them to nurse or applauded when they finally latched on. They were invisible when they were taken away from their moms and put into veal crates. No one heard their moms’ mournful cries of anguish while the breast milk was stolen for people. No one was watching as they ran for the first time in the pasture, as there were no green pastures for these beloveds.

By the time Eclipse was a day old, she was receiving her first guests who took pictures of her, giggled when she moved, and cried when they touched her. Meanwhile, calves her age were being taken away from their moms as they cried for each other. By the time Eclipse is eight-weeks old, she’ll be running around in the pasture with Auntie Destiny, Uncle Dudley, and brother Miles, while her mom watches close by. She’ll be learning good manners, she’ll be feeling safe, she’ll be part of a family. Meanwhile, calves born at the same time will be heading to slaughter. By the time Eclipse is full grown, she’ll be an ambassador, greeting people from all over the world, opening hearts, giving out hugs, and offering hope and inspiration to war veterans and foster children alike. While the moms of the babies born at the same time will still be living a lifetime of slavery, loneliness, fear, and suffering.

Eclipse is now a representative of all those babies, born at the same time, during a once in a lifetime eclipse of a harvest moon. Eclipse lives for those babies who could be just as innocent, just as curious, and just as joyful, if they had the chance. Eclipse lives for those babies whose moms love them just as much, who are just as precious, and who could make us cry tears of love, if only we could see them, or know them. Eclipse runs for them while they sit in veal crates. She explores for them while they can’t move. She is loved for them, while they stand alone. She holds the hope for them that one day we will have a gentle world where all babies and mommies can be together and all animals can be loved this much.

While we fall in love with Eclipse, follow her story, watch her feisty, larger than life personality emerge, and share her with our friends, we put more love in the world. We hold the light for more animals to be this happy. We raise the vibration of this planet to move in a gentler, peaceful direction. Together we are the witnesses to all calves born on September 16th. Together we celebrate them all!

Ellie Laks
Founder
The Gentle Barn