I just watched an insanely adorable video about Leanne Lauricella and her Goats of Anarchy. Leanne rescues and rehabs baby goats who have injuries or birth defects, many of whom would otherwise be euthanized. When Leanne quit a good job in New York City to pursue her passion, people called her crazy! They wondered why she bothered saving animals who would never amount to anything. What is the point of a goat in a wheelchair, they asked?
Given the world we live in, it’s no wonder people would ask those questions. Humans tend to think about life in terms of productivity – how we contribute to society. Remember John F Kennedy’s famous speech? “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country!” Of course, a strong work ethic is necessary for a community to thrive; however, the value of a human being is not dependent upon how much he/she is able to contribute. Throughout history, we have marginalized those whose lives we deem unproductive…the very young, the elderly, the handicapped. We consider them to be less valuable.
The thing is, our value, as a human (or an animal), is not based on productivity. Each of us, at our core, is a piece of Divinely Inspired Source Energy. We have value and worth simply because we are alive! Now, I have understood this concept for a long time, but as I watched Leanne and her four-legged friends (some with only 2 or 3 legs…), it hit me on an incredibly profound level.
The reason we are on this earth – the ONLY reason – is to learn how to love and be loved, unconditionally. For just a moment, let’s pretend that our lives are one big dramatic production. We are the star of our play, and everyone we meet is a cast member. Before we came to Earth, we wrote the script. Within the script, we sketched out all of the situations we wanted the main character to experience, being sure to provide as many opportunities as possible to demonstrate LOVE.
In this scenario, each and every moment of our lives is a little vignette, sort of like a skit, created for the sole purpose of allowing us to demonstrate WHO we are! It doesn’t matter what the other “actors” in our play do. It doesn’t even matter what the outcome of our action is. What matters is that we played our role correctly. In other words, we demonstrated who we are – we demonstrated love. It would seem, then, that Leanne created the perfect setting in which to do just that!
Soul #1: “What do you think you want to do this time around as you prepare to head back to planet Earth?”
Soul #2: “I think I’m going to create a safe haven for handicapped goats! That seems like a unique way to give and receive love. Besides, baby goats are so darn cute!”
Goats of Anarchy…what a terrific idea! It doesn’t matter if the goats have to use a wheelchair for the rest of their lives. What matters is that Leanne loves them, and they love her! Each of us has our own unique set of opportunities in which to choose love. Every experience, every encounter is another chance for us to do the right thing.
Maybe you came to earth to help the homeless, who may never get off the street, or to love your troubled student, whose home environment is out of your control, or to work with an Alzheimer’s patient who will never know your name. The bottom line is, regardless of the outcome, you took the opportunity to show love to another of God’s creations.
Looking at it in this way can really change our perspective. If we don’t concern ourselves with outcomes and instead, simply engage in loving acts for their own sake, it’s a win-win! Regardless of whether the love is reciprocated, regardless of whether we effect a change in the situation, we spread love just because that is who we are!
As you go through your week, remember that you are the writer and the star of your own play! Everyone you meet is playing a supporting role, designed to make you shine. Now, go break a leg!