10 May

Beyond Words. Beyond Imagination

by Jon Katz
Beyond Words

Dorothy Burlingham, the famed British analyst, believed that our love of animals came from our earliest fantasies, our loneliness and need for connections even before we could speak or think in words.  In our earliest years and months, we were often lonely, often afraid and confused. We often imagined an animal friend, a connection beyond words, where language was not necessary, a consciousness beyond our understanding. Feelings were everything. Our animal friends loved us, protected us, saved us from loneliness, gave us strength to fight off our fear.

This profound insight has been my experience with animals, and at the core of our powerful connection with Rocky, an aging pony who has changed profoundly in recent months, as we have changed also. When he puts his head against my shoulder, or against Maria, I think of Dr. Burlingham and am grateful to see this connection beyond words and away from our very meager and limited understanding. Animals make me humble. They are beyond my imagination. Some photos on Facebook.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email SignupFree Email Signup