Animals & Gratitude

Have you ever been driving down the road and see a turtle attempting to cross to the other side? Do you take that extra step to pull over and help it to the other side of the road? I know I have. Well they are more appreciative than you may realize. On a beach in Brazil, a penguin more than proves his gratitude to the man who saved his life, by a visit each year.

This is Joao, a resident of Brazil. He came across this little penguin, covered in oil, unable to move, and pretty much at death's door. Being the humble and kind person that he is, Joao took the penguin in and cleaned and nurtured him back to health and then set him free. The magic of the story is the fact that the penguin, who has been named Dindim, returns to the beach where Joao resides each and every year. This is the 4th year in a row that Dindim has made his appearance. Dindim is not Joao's pet, in fact, it is a mystery where Dindim goes in the off season, but the amazing aspect is the fact that he makes sure to visit the one man responsible for saving his life. The bond between these two is undeniable.

I had a similar experience with a bird. It flew into my sliding glass door and laid on my deck. I went out to check on him and he was stunned but still alive. So I stood him up on his feet and stroked his back and talked to him. I sat with him until he opened his eyes, and then he managed to fly off. Later that day, he came back to my sliding glass door and sat there waiting. I truly believe that kindness is never taken for granted by an animal. They may not be able to thank you verbally, but they are grateful.
*Photos courtesy of CNN September 2016