I’m a firm believer that the love we humans have for our animals, be they the pets in the house or livestock on the farm, is immeasurable in its therapeutic value.

As a child, I remember listening to the cows in the nearby pasture sing their mooing songs and how soothing it was to hear.

We also had dogs, an occasional guinea pig, and a rabbit or two. I didn’t really count the chickens since they were an ornery bunch.

But, in growing up knowing how the animals in my life made me feel, I knew it had to be the same for others.

I’ve met many people over the years, and most recently, who were going through tough medical situations or difficult times in their lives. In so many cases, the love they had for their animals became as much of their recovery process as the medicine and procedures used to help cure them.

I have experienced this in my own family having a child with a chronic health condition. In his case, it has been the love he has had for his horses that has inspired him most of his life. 

I recently met a young cancer patient who felt the same and focused on returning home to her horses and show-heifer as a way to get past the pain of being sick and working her way to recovery.

With all that said, I am also a firm believer that things so often happen in our lives for a reason.

In the case of this most recent encounter with the cancer patient, one of the horses she loves so dearly ended up at the family farm somewhat by accident. And the heifer she has shown at county fairs barely survived as a calf but would recover to be an inspiration for her whole family.

The girl’s grandfather told me there was a reason these animals made it to the farm and how much of a role they had played in her recovery.

In my personal encounter with this human/animal phenomenon, I have watched my son defy the odds and become quite the harness driver with his current trusty steed. He shows American Saddlebreds, a chore for anyone but an incredible feat for a heart patient.   

His love for his horses, and the most recent puppy addition to our home, have made a difference in his life, as is the case with so many others.

I have discovered that often the best medicine can be the love we have for the animals in our lives, on the farm, or at home. And the care we humans take or should take, with all of our furry friends, can make the difference in a moment, or a day and yes, even for a lifetime.

I’ll never forget this young cancer patient, and I’ll always be in awe of her and my son for the battles they have waged and the successes they have enjoyed all for the love of their animals. May we all experience the healing feelings our animals provide for us as we travel down the backroads.