It was 4:25 in the morning, and Zelda was restless. Scavenging, pacing, then sitting close beside me.
I could feel the tension building. My jaw tightening. My muscles becoming tense. An ordinary morning was becoming a difficult moment.
And then I began to wonder what Zelda might be experiencing.
What did she need? What was happening in her world that I couldn’t see or understand?
Something in that moment brought me back to my own experiences.
“I used to be her.”
I began thinking about expectations, understanding, and the difference between reacting to someone’s behavior and considering what they might be going through.
Sometimes we don’t know what another person—or an animal in our care—is experiencing. We see the behavior, but not necessarily what’s underneath it.
And perhaps a little stillness, a little prayer, and a little compassion can change the way we respond.
I thought about helping someone feel just one percent better. Not fixing everything. Not having all the answers. Just bringing a little more love into the moment.
“I want that for the Zeldas of the world.”
And I found myself grateful to God for another day, another opportunity to learn, and all the love still to come.
God is love. ❤️
Original recording: Space, Time, Juju & Love — 29:33