In a little less than two weeks, I will be returning to Big Cat Rescue for my internship level two. I have been thinking a lot about what makes this experience special, why I am so much looking forward to my return and why I am willing to give up job security, a very nice home life and a big part of my savings.

Those three months off could be spent traveling the world, relaxing at the beach or staying home and work on a personal project. Instead, I have chosen to volunteer at a sanctuary. BCR is hard work, we are outside in all kinds of weather conditions, we work 10+ hours a day, six days a week and a lot of the work is messy and dirty. Yet, my three months there have been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

Michael and I have talked about this in depth, and his theory is that, by focusing every hour of the day on helping the sanctuary and caring for the animals and their environment, I somehow was able to tap into what he calls “the force of life itself”. I think he has a point there.
Witnessing some of the animals at the end of their lives while caring for others (our foster kittens) during their first few weeks in this world certainly gives you a special appreciation of life. In addition, I am also wondering if me not having any children and not feeling the need to re-create myself allows me to focus that “nurturing and caring energy” on someone else.

It has been four months since I left BCR, and a lot has happened during that time. Seven of the residents have passed away, which is a reminder that the sanctuary is a retirement home, where the animals stay until the end of their lives. This is heartbreaking for the caretakers, some of whom have known (and bonded with) the cats ever since they arrived. But it also reminds me of this wonderful quote by the Dalai Lama:

“Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend – or a meaningful day.”

With this in mind, I would like to dedicate my blog post to Flavio, Sasha, Precious, Cleo, Cypress, Nyla, Banjo and Ivan, who all have touched my heart.