Tammy Raymond, Canada

People travel around the world for many reasons. Whether it’s to explore, enjoy, or to escape the stresses of reality – and I was one of them.
Harnas is different. I found through my time here it’s a place to heal. A place too not only find yourself, but also your place in life. Harnas is a place to grieve, to give, to find unconditional love and lifelong friends.

Back home, I live in a world where people find happiness under false pretences. It’s a place where people are made to feel important or accepted by the possessions that they have. Whether it’s the last fashion, the newest hairstyle, your position at work, the car that you drive, or whether it may be. Harnas puts perspective on what true happiness is or should be. It’s a magical place. A place where you find the true happiness you were seeking. It’s something that cannot be bought- only experienced. It’s spending the night gazing at the starts, a sleep out in the bush, a warm smile or words of encouragement, a small animal that lives though the night because I cared. It’s something telling you, “I believe in you” when you never heard those words before, and mostly, it’s finding the unconditional love of an animal.Looking into the eyes of a small lion that loves you for who you are on the inside. Relying on you for strength, growth and affection. In all of this, your reward is a hundredfold. The love that fills and lives within your heart is unimaginable and unexplainable. It’s something that I hope that everyone in their lifetime can feel at least once.

Harnas has given to me many privileges and gifts that I never know I needed to make me a better person. It showed me how to love more, to listen more and even face my darkest fears. It has taught me forgiveness, peace and understanding. That is one of the greatest gifts ever presented to me.

 

I know my days here are numbered and to leave here will be my saddest moment, but I will take with me all the love, laughter, happiness and lessons that I have learned and I know these memories will be imprinted in my heart for a lifetime.

One of Harnas’ mottos is “We Save Animals”. I just wonder if they know how may people’s lives they save as well?