Since probably the day I was born, or at least since the time I started to be able to make sense of what I watched on T.V. or in movies, I realized how much I love when what I watch moves me to remember and appreciate beautiful values in life, such as, true & unconditional love, honor, deep friendship, family unity, humanity as a way of life, and integrity and compassion in practice. Something would ring so true about the movies or T.V. shows that communicated these qualities and I started to crave living in the country from where these movies and TV shows came… at the time it was the U.S. I furthermore felt that it was so important to make a positive difference in the world when life situations seemed to beg you to do so. So… as the animals part of my life kept happening along my journey from childhood through adulthood, I responded to their needs as naturally as a rooster does to a sunrise (though for some years now, I’ve noticed that roosters seem to cock-a-doodle-doo much before sunrise. Maybe they too set their alarms clocks way ahead of time for all those snoozes we crave these days before actually needing to get up!) Anyway, the point of sharing this personal history with you is two-fold:

1) I will be sharing over the next several weeks stories of animals that needed me and kept walking into my life while I was minding my own business (literally, as in, either working on my first movie in India or living as the struggling artist that I was some years ago.) These animals reminded me to love with compassion. They tested my strength in patience and dedication. They were my friends while we were together. And they brought people into my life who are the kind of friends I call family today. People with integrity, honor and deep friendship. People I can count on… the kind of people (with God’s grace and strength) I was inspired to be for these helpless animals and (I hope) continue to increasingly be for people I care about too.

2) If through what I do, I can make a positive difference in your lives, then I’m paying it forward because of all the positive effect good T.V. and meaningful films had on me! And if you are moved to be happier, this means more to me than any of you can imagine. It means we are having a domino effect on each other so that we spread more love, compassion, kindness, humanity, integrity, friendship and family unity… all those things that actually matter at the beginning, middle and end of the day. 

Sharing here below is a letter I received from a Heavy Petting fan. It is precious. I encourage anyone to share the moments they have experienced with animals and how they felt at such times.

 She writes:

“I watched HP unknowingly only because of you, which I didn't realize until you were no longer hosting the show. You know how you never miss the thing until it is gone. Don't know when HP started exactly.... possibly the first season i may not even have had access to TV. I don't remember. I do know that the show (along with you) put me back into my animal loving mode. I had forgotten, because of my life dramas that I was going through, about the simple love of animals, a subject close to my heart because of which I had studied zoology. I love all animals, yeah even insects (loved the “Bugga good morning” post... :))* and can spend whole days just observing them. While growing up i had three dogs, trained a couple of squirrels to eat from my hands… simple pleasures. I remember saving a baby squirrel from a big cat and sitting patiently on the roof with it until its mama came and took it away. i remember feeding the birds on my window sill and watching them for hours by staying still on the other side... and getting so close that I got bird lice from them on my lashes ;-)... horror story for my mom.

Then life took over...ambitions/seeking approvals and proving myself in life took over… my original dream of setting up a place for stray animals got lost somewhere. I also wanted to work in a dolphin farm, go to Antarctica, live in the jungle... all lost somewhere.  All this was revived when i watched HP.  It is like a revelation (when i put active thought to it now) that you did indeed rekindle many old dreams unknowingly in my heart. I want to do so much... volunteer, foster... but have not done anything. I know I will some day and i have to thank you for it.”

Overwhelmed and truly joyous to read this remembrance of someone’s love for our sweet animals. Do share yours too. And I would like very much to share with you my blog “Bugga good morning!” next week…