I’ve always loved animals and I used to watch them, smiling from a distance. The experiences I lived with "Vier Pfoten" made me rediscover myself. Something deep inside me changed and I started see things through different eyes, especially since I was surprised to see I wasn’t looking at the animals smiling from a distance anymore, I was already realizing with all my mind and soul that they are just like us. In their silent looks, I began reading fear, pain, joy, anger, humiliation, prayer, and affection, almost all aspects of human nature, without cruelty for pleasure, amusement, comfort or just plain cruelty. Then, without realizing, I was caring more than I’d ever thought I would. I discovered within me an affective part that hadn’t been touched by feelings, and I believed my compassion to be the result of having also realized how animals could not dispose, even though they could distinguish things. Animals live their life how we dictate them to, since we are the intelligent beings distinguishing and disposing, most of the times, against all moral principles, that, amazingly, we created as well and that tell us of love and compassion. In the end, even people are silly to each other quite often. (…)
I’ve also realized that respect and affection for people don’t exclude respect and affection for animals, but they complete it. That also reminds me of me as a child, asking my mother how she could love me, my brother and my sister the same. She took me in her arms and with a smile on her face, she told me that love is just like light - it shines the same in all directions.
Mihai VASILE,
