WOODBURY– A breath of fresh air fills my lungs, and the smell of hay and sweet musk from the stalls, which too many find revolting…

But not me.

I find peace in the smell of being at a barn; it feels like home. It feels more like home than my own home, knowing you can walk into the barn and get greeted by some of the sweetest giants. I can look into their eyes and see stories that will never be told, moments that will never be relived and time that can never go back.  

To many I sound like an oddity– ”who would find peace with smelly animals?” But those same people have never stood in a silent barn, where the only sound is the slow, low breathing from an animal that simply allows you to be you. The same animals that listened when no one else did, comforted me when everyone else judged, and most importantly they lifted me up when everyone else brought me down. 

One thing I live by is actions speak louder than words, all animals have is their actions, every gentle nuzzle and snort speak volume. People use their burdensome words too much. I find a great sense of peace as the animals speak with their heart, the purity of them standing by me guided by an unspeakable bond. 

I prefer animals over people for one simple reason: An animal that only knows survival, chooses you. 

Choosing to love you when they don’t even know what’s wrong, but can feel you’re off, is a different type of love. A different type of connection people don’t realize you can make with an animal. The feeling of not needing to explain yourself to someone trying to get reassurance, but simply just a soft moment in time with an animal.  

“Feeling the gentle nudge from a cow is a powerful reminder of the unconditional love that animals offer,” Sofia Figlar, a NHS junior commented. “The simplicity and honesty of an animal’s affection is a beautiful, life-affirming experience.”

Being with animals is a different type of acceptance, a type that doesn’t require for me to be perfect, only present. Animals don’t know words, they know tone, they feel your emotions, your spirit and somehow, someway, they know exactly what to do. 

In a world full of drama and betrayal, the barn is where there is a silent–unspoken understanding between a girl and her animals. 

What everyone else sees is an animal that could hurt them but they don’t see, deep inside the animal, just like humans, they want to feel love and care. Making a connection with animals is something everyone should experience. 

“Connecting with animals reminds me that love can be simple and unconditional,” Christa Freel, a NHS senior said. “There’s something magical about when an animal chooses to trust you. It’s like a silent bond that’s stronger than words.”