Continuing our theme and muse of heart connections this month, a friend shared with me this powerful video talk from the cutting edge conferences of TED.com . Personally, I felt a “quivering” feeling of vulnerability in my heart, as I watched it. It made me ponder my own issues with vulnerability and how I actually felt so much safer sharing those challenging spaces of vulnerability with my animal friends, rather than with human beings. The thoughts in my mindstream instantly went back to times when I would be talking to and crying about my greatest fears as I hugged my golden retrievers or my cats. They would nuzzle me, purr, brush against me, as I shared my greatest fears with them, far easier for me than if I would share these concerns with any person.
The thoughts continued back in time, when all I was allowed to have as a child were a couple of red-eared turtles who ended up being my great listening therapists through challenging times in childhood. They too felt much safer to share those childhood anxieties with, than any other friends or relatives. Yes, throughout my life, I realize, that I felt so much safer sharing with my animal friends rather than people. This video has made me appreciate how much further I can travel, taking the vulnerability that I feel safe sharing with my animal companions, and feeling vulnerable enough to share them with my closest human friends and family. There actually was a survey a few years back documenting that a significant percentage of animal caretakers talked to their animal companions regularly. Perhaps, being vulnerable with our kindred spirits can be a good practice session for feeling more comfortable being vulnerable with our human family.
How about you? Would you like to share your thoughts, insights, feelings on heart connections and vulnerability in relation to your animal companions versus your human friends and family. Have you found it safer to share your challenging emotions with your animal friends? If so, do you feel it is possible to take that practice and benefit from it by being more vulnerable and sharing those parts of yourself with intimate friends or family? I look forward to hearing about your experiences with this. Your experience may be of benefit to many others participants in this site. Blessings!