With the many guinea pigs that have come through the rescue it is hard not to bond with them -- especially the “special ones” who arrive afraid, uncertain of what their future will hold.
Then there are those who quickly learn how to wrap humans around their little paws. Minerva is one of those special pigs who has not only learned how to wrap me around her paw, but has inspired me to keep going when things get so crazy in the rescue that I become tired and burnt out.
Watching Minerva live her life as a happy little girl, even though she isn’t able to actually see the world around her, is amazing. She doesn’t let anything bother her -- not illness, not strange noises, not dogs barking, not new humans leaning over her cage -- and rules her herd with a strong will and determination. Humans are her slaves, there to feed her, clean up after her, and to cuddle her. Nothing slows her down as she travels around her habitat, checking to make sure that everything is in place, including her roommates Pogo, Gracie, and Sedona. And, should any of her friends be sleeping in the cuddle cup that she wants, they had better get up and get moving!
No matter how depressing or stressful a day has been, I can always count on Minerva to cheer me up. I’ll scoop her up for a quick snuggle as I walk by her cage and she will coo away at me and tell me that the troubles aren’t that bad.
Who would have thought that this little girl – who arrived here as a small, two-week-old, sightless guinea pig could make such a difference? Arriving scared, and squabbling for her place in a litter of five, she was so frail. Yet now she has grown into a confident, gorgeous guinea pig who is the queen of my life. So much can be learned from this little goddess.
(Today’s posting comes to us from Cindy Kuester, founder of The Critter Connection, Inc.)
It's certainly hard to be with her for two minutes and not be completely enchanted with Ms. Minerva.
Cindy is hopelessly enslaved by Minerva, and happy to be so!
:-)
Posted by: Whitney | June 25, 2007 at 12:25 AM
This is such an uplifting, inspiring little story. I could certainly see why one would become so attached to this beautiful girl.
Posted by: Peggy | June 18, 2007 at 07:10 PM