Water for Elephants

Last night I went to see Water for Elephants with my dear friend, Elizabeth Duncan. It was an inspiring movie, and taught me important life lessons. The main character, played by Robert Patterson, is a young guy who left Cornell and a Veterinary Medicine degree after his parents were killed. He took off to the city to find work, but eventually got tired of the long, lonesome walk and jumped on a train. On the train, he met his future co-workers, who happened to be part of a traveling circus. He soon became the "vet" of the circus. Even though he wasn't particularly qualified, he had an innate gift, as the circus director pointed out. Seeing how this character could look at a horse's hoof and diagnose a disease, made me realize that in life, skills and gifts are what's important, not some degree that claims you are competent. He was so gentle with the animals that he had a hard time using force to get the animals to behave in certain ways. The show was radically transformed for the better when his new method of training animals was implemented. Perhaps this is the new style we need to adopt in this world today: tenderness, compassion, gentleness. Though it is not part of our human nature to behave this way, as spiritual beings on this earth, this is how we can create a better existence for every living thing. Combat suffering with loving kindness.