Mookie

His photo is on my living room wall.  I see it everyday.  I find that I'm drawn to him and wishing that I had the confidence to get closer to him without getting hurt.  I know he'd never hurt me on purpose.  But I don't know him well enough to read his body language.  But I hope, with these words, that you can understand just how majestic he is and how amazing all cows could be...if only they were allowed to live.

You’ve only seen them from far away.  Driving down the highway or on a back country road.  A herd of cows.  Lying in a pasture or grazing—they’ve always been quickly passed by.  Fleeting.  Just in your vision long enough to recognize their shape.  But now, now, the being towering beside you is anything but far away.  He is close and he is big.  Nearly 6 feet tall and 3,000 pounds, they said.  You reach out a hand, wrist down, knuckles first, giving him a chance to smell you.  He lets out a huff and his wet nose touches your skin.  And then a long pink tongue emerges, licking your fingers with sandpaper like texture.  You laugh.  He huffs again.  He lifts his head and looks you right in the eye.  His dark eyes shining like he sees you.  You try to see him.  What is he thinking?  How does he feel with you this close?  You admit to yourself that his size makes you nervous.  But those eyes—they seem playful and curious.  You reach out and scratch the skin between his eyes.  He moves closer. You scratch the top of his head.  He turns, slowly, and you scratch his sides and as close to the top of his back as you can.  He huffs and snorts—he likes it.  He seems to like you.  You laugh, reveling in the sensation of closeness you feel to this gentle giant.  It’s like he chose you.  He chose to come close.  He chose to trust you and let you touch him.  And now, here, in this moment, you decide to choose him.  

He is Mookie and he’s your friend.



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