SoulSpace

My friends Aimeé and Anna have an amazing track record for finding fantastic getaways. So when they raved about their escape a few weeks back to SoulSpace Sanctuary, I was intrigued. We decided to book it after Beatrix's (early) Sytennde Mai Norwegian dance performance, so this last weekend, after the performance and a beer at Life Bridge, plus some rolled ice cream in Stillwater, we headed out.

Little did we know how much it would change our lives.


The sanctuary is one of the few of its kind in the midwest. It was started by former SPPD cop Kara after she retired due to an on-the-job injury, and one of its early rescue was Wally the escaping pig. Honestly, I could probably tell you a hundred stories about the various animals after spending just a short time there, but I think the real power comes from going out there and getting to know them yourself. Each one has a different, poignant story.




Amos, in particular, is a selfie star.

There are also a number of chickens, ducks, and peacocks!


It would be entirely possible to go there just to enjoy the comfortable suite, the whole 3rd floor of the house, with an absolutely decadent bathroom. Honestly, I would love to go for a weekend and just hang out and read and play games and listen to music and relax (plenty of house pets as well). 

Plus, I could talk for hours with Kara. She has an amazing sense of balance, that animals are important, but so are people, and a philosophy of meeting people where they are and then creating change.





Amazingly, it turns out that even taciturn teens are chatty when you just hang out for the weekend.


I left with  love of the animals, a great admiration for Kara, and a desire to do more, both with Soulspace and to change the world in general. I hope it becomes part of my life. I miss it already. I know it seems odd to say that such a short time made such a big impact on me, but I felt like that with Wintermoon Summersun as well, and was not wrong.



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