Greetings!
Ken and I are now officially living La Vida Loca in Santa Fe, New Mexico. There is nothing we don’t love about our life here. We are surrounded by incredible scenery, we revel in awe-inspiring sunsets, our neighbors are welcoming and friendly, there are endless cultural and fun things to do, and to top it off this is a town that LOVES their animal companions – and of course that makes me very happy.
Back when we were searching for a house, and feeling frustrated that we couldn’t find one, friends told us that when it was time, the right house would find us. And they were right. When our future house came online I took about 60 seconds to look at the pictures and I KNEW without a doubt, it was the one!
From the splendid beamed ceilings to the brick floors, and an abundance of glass doors, windows, and skylights….it was perfect. Well, except for one teenie weenie thing; hanging high on the wall outside of the garage was something that I vowed would come down the moment we took ownership. And although this is a typical decoration in Santa Fe, for two animal lovers who are also vegan, a cow skull is not something we wanted to keep as an adornment on our new home.
Living La Vida Vegan
Being vegan is an important part of who I am. This lifestyle comes from a deep connection to animals, not just dogs, and cats, but all animals. After all, there is no real difference between a goat, a horse, a cow or a dog. Animals want to live, just like we do. They enjoy life, experience close family bonds, and have a tremendous capacity to suffer – just like human animals. Understanding that my food choices can either create or alleviate the suffering of animals is why I chose to forgo any foods that cause harm to our fellow beings whether they be from the meat industry, dairy corporations, leather producers or others. I didn’t know how this particular cow/steer had died, whether from natural causes or as part of that system, but in my mind, the skull was coming down and pronto!
Ken read my mind. One morning he got a ladder, placed it against the garage wall and climbed up the rungs with the intention of removing the skull. A few moments later, he came back in the house and asked me to come outside. As we both stood in front of and stared at the imposing bony structure, something miraculous, and alive, stared back at us. A bird flew out of the eye sockets and onto the roof, tweeting at us to leave her family alone. Inside the skull, we could see twigs, leaves and brush making up a large nest.
Birds of a Feather 
Last week someone informed me that our house was on a path of migration for birds. This is why we hear birdsongs all day long, and why we see so many of them enjoying the fruit trees in our yard. In fact, shortly after we arrived, two birds flew inside the house and I had to gently catch them and escort them out. I have seen quail nests behind logs, nests in mailboxes, and now a nest in a cow skull. Aren’t birds resourceful?
Ken and I didn’t have to say anything to one another. We both knew that if this skull was providing shelter and a safe home for our feathered friends and their offspring then it was never coming down. So here we are, vegans in the land of enchantment with a dead cow skull to adorn our house.
Nature is a Great Teacher When We Stop to Listen
As an acupuncturist I am clear that to be healthier and happier, it’s important to keep our connection with nature strong. This is why I always recommend starting this journey by nurturing your relationships with the animals in your home. Hopefully, when we connect more deeply with our more familiar animal friends, we will also be more willing to connect, respect, and embrace their cousins in the natural world and to leave farm animals off our plates. In my case, I think nature was reminding me that life is a cycle and that new life will always come bringing with it the gifts of hope, greater understanding, and the potential for a kinder world.
Stay Pawsitive,
Carlyn MDO
Carlyn Montes De Oca is the founder of The Animal-Human Health Connection. Through her books and speaking engagements, Carlyn is working to have the greatest pawsitive effect on the lives of animals and the humans who love them. She is the author of Dog as My Doctor, Cat as My Nurse and the upcoming Paws for the Good Stuff: a dog lover’s journal for living a healthier and more pawsitive life. Carlyn has been featured on CBS, ABC, The San Francisco Chronicle, AARP, and other media. Connect with her at AnimalHumanHealth.com.
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