Baboon and bush baby -photo by Khalil Senosi
In the aftermath of the 2004 Asian tsunami, a baby hippo was rescued that had been washed out to sea and separated from its family. Taken to the Kenyan sanctuary at Haller Park, 'Owen' became attached to 'Mzee,' a giant tortoise that resided there. The unusual friendship lasted several years until Owen was ready to be introduced to and socialized with other hippos. In 2011, the Nairobi Animal Orphanage took in an orphaned, three-month-old bush baby. To the surprise of the wildlife wardens, a rescued yellow baboon quickly adopted 'Gakii.' Their relationship was even more unlikely since bush babies are nocturnal and yellow baboons are active during the day. These animals found themselves in less than ideal circumstances without a parent or social group to bond with. The need for companionship required them to accept and connect with an animal much different than normally expected.
Like the orphaned animals, at times we must deal with unexpected and unwanted circumstances. Acceptance - the willingness to let go of our emotional resistance in order to acknowledge reality - can be of great benefit. Trying not to see the truth (which may include positively reframing it) keeps us in a state of denial. Tara Brach writes that genuine acceptance includes both seeing clearly and holding our experience with compassion. Mindfulness allows us to observe what we refused to look at before. Tenderness permits us to gently hold what we observe without pushing it away. Practicing with small situations can prepare us for accepting more difficult ones. Such acceptance frees previously engaged emotional energy that can be channeled into action or adaptation.
For more information on acceptance, see this post.
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