Someone asked me what my passion is. I realised that I had thought I knew, but may have been incorrect. My passion - I used to say - Animal Behaviour!
The lesson - at some point I had identified with the passion rather than be in awe of it.
Years back I realised that my life force is driven by the concept of 'wonderment'. A sense of awe and wonder about the mysteries of animal behaviour is where my labelled passion was identified.
On a fabulous run on Durban's ocean promenade, followed by a dip in the amazing Indian Ocean, I realised that 'wonderment' - and experiencing this sensation is in fact my passion. This is not limited to Animal Behaviour. Feeling the capacity of what a body can do, and the sensation of the cool ocean after a sweaty run is part of that wonderment. Noticing a bird on the wing or the glint in a mischievous dolphins eye my experience of wonderment. Watching fast moving clouds or grass growing through a tar road - that is amazing wonderment. All these experiences and so much more are met with awe. Learning new things and moving beyond self-limited ideas - that is total wonderment. Thus, communicating with other species - through effective behaviour management - is part of a great passion.
Don't get caught up in labelling anything. Least of all your passion.
Because - it will diminish your ability to love what you do. If you litigate - even in your own terms - where you should be happy and fulfilled.
Like all animal behaviour people, my most exciting moments are when I communicate with animals - and these are generally intuitively fuelled. They have nothing to do with who I think I am or should be. The moments are simply like diving under a wave. Being where I am with a sense of wonder.
Essentially, wonderment is only possible with an enormous sense of gratitude. For in gratitude, all positive feelings are possible. This is not the gratitude borne out of a what I expect. It is gratitude that rises out of grace.
So - relative to ethical animal behaviour management, we should simply be where we are, communicating without expectation. For the sake of being there and nothing more or less.
The lesson - at some point I had identified with the passion rather than be in awe of it.
Years back I realised that my life force is driven by the concept of 'wonderment'. A sense of awe and wonder about the mysteries of animal behaviour is where my labelled passion was identified.
On a fabulous run on Durban's ocean promenade, followed by a dip in the amazing Indian Ocean, I realised that 'wonderment' - and experiencing this sensation is in fact my passion. This is not limited to Animal Behaviour. Feeling the capacity of what a body can do, and the sensation of the cool ocean after a sweaty run is part of that wonderment. Noticing a bird on the wing or the glint in a mischievous dolphins eye my experience of wonderment. Watching fast moving clouds or grass growing through a tar road - that is amazing wonderment. All these experiences and so much more are met with awe. Learning new things and moving beyond self-limited ideas - that is total wonderment. Thus, communicating with other species - through effective behaviour management - is part of a great passion.
Don't get caught up in labelling anything. Least of all your passion.
Because - it will diminish your ability to love what you do. If you litigate - even in your own terms - where you should be happy and fulfilled.
Like all animal behaviour people, my most exciting moments are when I communicate with animals - and these are generally intuitively fuelled. They have nothing to do with who I think I am or should be. The moments are simply like diving under a wave. Being where I am with a sense of wonder.
Essentially, wonderment is only possible with an enormous sense of gratitude. For in gratitude, all positive feelings are possible. This is not the gratitude borne out of a what I expect. It is gratitude that rises out of grace.
So - relative to ethical animal behaviour management, we should simply be where we are, communicating without expectation. For the sake of being there and nothing more or less.
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