Years ago I remember glancing at a seriously ill patient who had a visitor. On the surface, the scene was a moving one. Unconscious patient and partner who was moping a brow and holding a hand.out of concern and love.
It was just a glance, but in the briefest of moments I felt that something was not quite right. I felt uneasy.My inner voice screamed out that something was wrong even though what I saw was a perfectly reasonable scene . I remember saying to a colleague right then and there that something was not quite right and a year or so later it came to my attention that the relationship between that visitor and the patient was indeed an abusive and a violent one .
Last week I met another couple. The older more vocal partner answered a question that was directed a his younger partner and again my inner voice gave me a sharp slap in the face, so much so that I made a point of directing my conversation directly and pointedly to the younger guy. Again something didn't quite feel right , and all this surfaced during the most " innocent" of social interactions.
Years ago, I remember having a conversation with a police detective who could " smell a bad 'un" out of a crowded room. Another colleague who worked as an alcohol counsellor often referred to emotional " colours" she felt when she met people, Colours that described the person's internal Personality to her.....
In each case " gut feeling" more often than not was right.
Now, where am I going with all this?
Well I shall tell you
This morning I needed to give Russell, the gander , some medication, and I wanted to confine him to quarters as his limp has gotten a little worse
Usually the big fella finds me hateful but today, as I moved him, he was watchful, quiet and almost gentle. It was almost as though he knew that I was there to help him.
Was his inner voice which knew I meant him no harm at work? Did he pick up on my benign " emotional colour"? Did his peanut sized brain latch on to my caring nature?
Or was he just too uncomfortable to be arsed to honk at me
Whatever the reason
He took the tablet
It was similar with Caldwell our Bantam cockerel, when he was at deaths door after defending the chickens and I found him blinded with blood, badly injured hiding in a green plastic bucket he let me handle and care for him all I needed. He enjoyed living briefly in the house and could almost have been a delightful pet. When he was first recovered he seemed to see me as his saviour.
ReplyDeleteNow the little b**tard just tries to get me every time my back is turned, only when I show him the green water bucket does a little light bulb go on in his head (you can actually see something about his whole demeanour change)and then he shuffles his feathers and walks off as though it was never his intention to once again sink his spurs so deep in my leg that my welly fills up with trickling blood as I limp off to the house.
The Viking is always telling me to speak with my inner voice first before I say the stuff that comes out of my mouth!
ReplyDeleteCaring people are more intuitive and more times than not, see the signals and know in their gut if things are right or wrong.
ReplyDeleteAnimals know who they can trust.
Agreed my friend agreed
DeleteI do wonder if animals know sometimes that you are trying to help them. Then I attempt to a pill a cat....
ReplyDeletei live my life by trusting my gut feelings. they are always right! it drives my kids crazy.
ReplyDeleteNow if that's not the subject of an excellent blog entry nothing is
DeleteI've rehabbed many animals,they do seem to understand that you are helping them.I know instantly if I will like someone or not just by looking at them...my gut instinct is never wrong.
ReplyDeleteJane x
Mind you remember Eric...... Who tore my face off.........
DeleteAnimals just "know" I believe more so than humans...
ReplyDeleteYour 'energies' were in sync John.
ReplyDeleteI think it takes a lot before animals trust our good intentions; but I'm sure they do when it becomes essential.
ReplyDeleteThat is very interesting. When I was training as a hypnotherapist, we talked about "a persons aura" and with a little practice you can close your eyes and see the colour of their aura. I'm sure an experienced person can sense that just by looking at the person concerned.
ReplyDeleteWhat colour are you?
DeleteI don't get that kind of inner voice that says "something's wrong here", but I do sometimes get an overwhelming feeling that some future event is going to work out perfectly, even if my anxious brain is fussing and fretting about it. And that inner feeling is always right.
ReplyDeleteEver the optimist
DeleteI believe in the Inner Voice and think that Russell just knew. Hope he gets better.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that suzanne
DeleteIn your case, I think "Going Gently" says it all.
ReplyDeleteMy inner voice ( and indeed normal voice ) screamed "rotter" about a friend's new ( best thing since sliced bread ) boyfriend. Turned out he was a sociopath and constantly lied but sadly she fell for him. Luckily it didn't last too long. Just makes me mad he's still out there conning vulnerable women. I even rang the Police about him.
ReplyDeleteBut you can never tell a friend can you?
DeleteThey never listen
I think animals know when you're trying to help them. (At least, animals that you have a 'relationship' with) I suspect that our inner voices are leftovers from the same animal sense. Sometimes it's quiet enough to hear what they're saying. And in my experience they're rarely wrong.
ReplyDeleteInstincts and first impressions are usually right in my experience.
ReplyDeleteMy inner voice often tells me something is wrong, and it usually is.
I tried to help a rodent escape from my cat and it bit me. God knows what aura/colour I was giving off!!!
ReplyDeleteCheese. Perhaps?
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI am a veterinary nurse - animals tend to know what your intention is - some accept it and other fight back - but I am a firm believer they really do pick up intuitively your act of help.
ReplyDeleteYou must have a few interesting stories on the subject hawthorn?
DeleteMy first husband was a firm believer in 'auras' John, and could usually sense one around people he met for the first time. I have to say that he was almost always right about what kind of a person they were.
ReplyDeleteAs to animals - yes I do believe they sense when we are trying to help them. I dare say that Russell will revert to type when he is recovered.
I would like to think he'll turn like the lion did with Androcles
DeleteYou only have *one* inner voice? I'm envious....it's a circus in here.....
ReplyDeleteBut at least you are happy xx
DeleteTrigger let me put human eye drops in his equine eyes recently, which he could easily have prevented me from doing, it being in the middle of a windy field, but he clearly has the inner voice of which you speak.
ReplyDeletePS - check out my new puppy!
I did already he's lovely
DeleteThat was a great post John. I think animals are more intuitive almost than people.
ReplyDeleteI had the same experience with a horse once, when we were both frightened for the same reason.
ReplyDeleteDo tell
DeleteSince you are talking about Russel, he probably couldn't be arsed. ;-)
ReplyDeleteBut I don't doubt that animals know when you're trying to help them.
Have a great evening, John. ♥
My gut has saved my butt on any number of occasions, so I know exactly what you mean. Funny thing is, I thought that only women had that "gift". I guess I was wrong again......drat, that's the second time this week. :)
ReplyDeleteMy gut is what kept me awake all night on the night my late husband was killed in a vehicle crash. Weirdest thing I've ever experienced in my life. (at the risk of repeating myself here)
I'm sure the goose has a gut that helps him too!!
Kelly
DeleteI am a gay man..... So I am a honery woman
Lovely post. I think of intuition as simply an ability to read many subtle clues very quickly. Some can do it and some can't. Hope your gander's knee is better soon.
ReplyDelete'Hope your gander's knee is better soon.'
DeleteI think Hallmark are missing an opportunity here.... :-)
When I worked in the nursing home I had some very upsetting experiences with people who had been or were still in bad marriages. We had two married couples who could not be allowed to visit with each other alone because they would attack one another.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie