There is a stereotype in our society that animals are not smart. I’m not sure where that came from because to me animals seem to be smarter, more connected, and more aware than we could ever be. Of course, they cannot drive cars, fly to the moon, or understand technology, but they don’t sweat the small stuff, they live in the moment instead of worrying about the future or the past, they age gracefully, are not afraid of death, and seem to have a more secure grasp on the bigger picture.

Twenty-three years ago, I lived with six cats in an apartment in Studio city. I came home late one night and got ready for sleep. When I climbed into bed, I expected my cats to join me and snuggle like they did every night. Instead, they were all under the bed huddled together. I patted the bed, called them, and even lifted them onto the bed. The minute I let them go, they dove under the bed again. Frustrated, lonely, and rejected, I finally drifted off to sleep, not understanding why they would not join me. Three hours later the Northridge earthquake hit and shook our tiny apartment building violently. I was on the bed listening to the world crash down around me, begging God to save me, while my beloved animals were safe and sound under the bed. How did they know?

Over the years, I have noticed so many other curious things: elephants ran for higher ground right before the tsunami hit in Honduras. Birds disappear and stay silent before tornadoes. Large schools of fish move in unison. There is no leader, they move and act as one. And, our horse, Zoe just lost her twin brother. We were so worried about her but she acts as if he is standing right beside her. She is still connected to him as if he never left.

I have always believed that we are all one. I have always thought that someone else’s pain was my pain. I have always felt connected to nature, to animals, and to others. Our high-tech, industrial world is removing us from our instincts and our connections. Most of us live in neighborhoods covered in concrete, removed from nature and from animals. For those of us lucky enough to be surrounded by wildlife, we have come to believe that we own it somehow, that we have the right to destroy it, chop it down, manipulate it, and use it for our own benefits. We are being removed from our connections to animals and nature, and ultimately from ourselves.

I see animals as smarter than we are. I study them, spend time with them, and learn from them every day. They have always made me a better person. They protect me, they heal me, they balance my energy, they inspire me, and during natural disasters they warn me. I am learning to listen. I care for 150 animals at The Gentle Barn. I give them food, water, exercise, medical attention, and love, but it is they that give me the greatest lessons, the greatest rewards, and rescue me every day!

Ellie Laks
Founder, The Gentle Barn
Author, My Gentle Barn