I would like to share with you a strangely beautiful story.
To do so, kindly allow me to introduce it by asking you to
consider a very unusual question:
What would it be like to have a 400 lb White Tiger’s
huge jaws wrapped around your tiny throat?
Roy Horn of the famed Las Vegas magic show duo, Siegfried
and Roy, was walking on stage with the tiger he had raised
since it was a cub when the tiger unexpectedly took his arm
in its great mouth, refusing to let go.
Horn, in front of a packed audience at the MGM Grand Hotel,
began hitting the tiger over the snout with his microphone
until the tiger finally released its grasp (standard
procedure for this . . . ahem . . . "non-standard"
occurrence).
Then, depending upon whose version you hear in the audience,
Horn fell to the ground. (Others would say the tiger knocked
him down). The tiger then grabbed Horn’s neck in its
forbidding mouth and began dragging him off stage.
Trainers rushed in. By blasting a fire extinguisher at the
huge tiger, they got it to let go of Horn’s neck, whereupon
it obediently returned to its cage.
Horn was rushed to the hospitable where he lost all vital
signs from loss of blood and was actually clinically dead
for several precious seconds. Doctors managed to revive him.
But Horn would spend the next years of his life in intensive
therapy, the result of brain damage and swelling.
Now, here’s the thing that strikes me most about this story:
The White Tiger has remained a beloved pet of the
two entertainers!
In Roy Horn’s own words about the tiger, reflected by his
partner Siegfried, which I paraphrase from an interview with
reporter Maria Shriver:
"There are no bad feelings whatsoever. If anything,
I love him {the tiger} more."
So, here’s my question to you, my friend:
Why would you suppose Roy Horn made this statement?
How could he still love – and even "trust" – an animal that
almost killed him? . . . an animal that did indeed end
Siegfried and Roy’s 29-year-long Las Vegas career and left
Roy in a wheelchair, fighting to this day for recovery?
What "other side" might there be to this story, that even
once considered, might be impossible to embrace if you or I
were in Roy Horn’s shoes?
And finally, who in your life has seemingly "done you wrong"
whose story you might need to at least consider to find some
forgiveness in your heart?
We’ll conclude this extraordinary story over the next few
weeks.
Michael
*** Please post your response to the above questions by scrolling to the form at the very bottom of this page.
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I’ve been pretty lucky in my life. My only real mistake in this regard was in my relationship as a teenager with one of my sisters but that is well healed now.
A few others have clashed with me in my working life but life is too short to bring these relationships back to neutral ground. Agree to disagree and move on. Not every relationship needs to be or should be fixed.
My understanding is that Roy believes that the tiger acted in a protective way towards him because of some perceived threat that the tiger sensed from an audience member. I tend to believe that as well because I have no dought that the tiger could have killed him in an instant had that been his intention. Because of that simple fact alone Roy is sure that the big cat acted in a loving way towards him not understanding that the cats version of “love” could be deadly to a meer mortal!
I have not had Cancer. I do not know the cold fear of facing a disease that exists to steal my very life. But I know the truth about losing your life, about waking up one day to view the wreckage of your own life – as if a train had run off its tracks in your backyard… or a plane had fallen from the sky into your garden. I also know the miraculous reality of the worst that life offers being the best thing in your life. At least that is how it was for me. Once I lost my life –my old fearful, indulgent and visionless life- I was free to choose to make a life of living. It is so scary …tinglely in the stomach scary…like in those really awesome roller coasters or maybe like just before you step out on the stage and the floodlights blind your eyes and you wonder what am I doing here? But who told you of the joy, the delicious happiness that living in hope and wonder and gratitude for all of life that you would not only experience, but know for your own. I glimpse a little more each day. Just when I think that I’ve seen all that there is, I step over the edge into a whole new expanse of goodness. It’s really quite humbling. The things that I have dreaded the most; the insecurity; the aloneness; the honesty with my self have been the very catalyst for the safety, the friendships and the authenticity that I treasure more than gold. The losing of my life was the finding of my Self. How grateful I am for the gifts of the worst in my life…….they pointed me to life as I only dreamed and longed it to be. I have glimpsed the truth of me. I am True and Strong and Good. I am Pure of Heart and reach toward Beauty. I have Hope and Courage within me. And I am also weak and timid and scared. I carry my fears with in me. I am all of these things. I am enough. I am ENOUGH. I AM ENOUGH
My husband Brian receives this newsletter. A week ago he underwent surgery for cancer of the tongue and throat. Because of his situation we needed to look at our relationships with several people and to enter this journey we both needed to embrace what has happened in the past, forgive those who had hurt us and ask to be forgiven for the things we had done.
I guess Brian’s tiger is the cancer but already so many positive things have come from something that could have proved to be very negative. We both feel blessed to have life, this day, this moment.
roy understands that they took a wild animal and made it a friend and performer. so when the tiger partially reverted back, when it got scared, he felt responsible. he had come to love the animal and couldn’t have it killed. could you kill your beloved pet dog or cat if you caused it to bite or scratch you. i couldn’t even if it was a near death experience.
A man’s character is revealed by the way he treats animals. The tiger is only an animal with no cognitive thought.
The fact that they continue to love the animal is unusual but not to animal lovers.
We fail the animal when we perceive human- like qualities that don’t really exist and cross the line between humans and animals.
Another entertainer who uses tigers always has a gun on his person for the simple reason the animal could attack. The tiger could have attacked the audience too.
We wish the best for Sigfreid and Roy.
I learned in a communications workshop years back a perspective and technique for angry behavior or disagreeable communication. The trainer explained that we were to catch the communication like a ball and that it was about them (the person or animal who is angry or disagreeable/negative). It’s a way of not taking it personally. I have a beautiful calico cat who sometimes gets orney or upset and has hissed at and scratched or bit me. She is usually very loving. Usually it takes her a while if she’s very upset to revert to her loving self and I allow her that space and time to communicate that displeasure. The workshop facilitator described this as emptying out. There needs to be space for the angry person or pet to hear what you have to say. From my perspective it sometimes takes awareness and repeated letting go if I notice I’m taking it seriously or personally. With my beautiful calico it’s easy for me to focus on how much I love her and know how much love she has shown me. I usually send her those thoughts and feelings of love and the result is that when she is ready she shows her love for me again.
all the comments show a positive desire to interpret the event in its best light. but should a bunch of essentially wild, yet pampered animals be exploited for big bucks and man’s curiosity? that Roy personally is forgiving is admirable, but i have to think animal welfare and human welfare might have been served better in other ways over the years. in the worst situation we can always spot some spiritual spark, but maybe we shouldn’t have been there to begin with.
Has anyone ever hurt you or wronged you? Has anyone you know ever acted in a way that you felt was terrible or wrong? Have you ever hurt or wronged someone else? Have you ever acted in a way that you felt was terrible or wrong?
The simple truth is we have all done “terrible” things at one time or another and we have all had “terrible” things done to us.
Roy’s ability to continue to love the tiger that almost killed him has an important lesson for all of us.
Roy was able to separate the tiger’s actions (or behaviour) from it’s nature (or character). Roy had known the tiger since it was a cub. He had played and performed with the magnificent animal hundreds of times. He knew from the countless interactions exactly what the great cat was like. So when it unexpectedly “attacked” him (our interpretation), he did not condemn the tiger for it’s actions but looked beyond these to see and remember its magnifigance.
When we make mistakes and act inappropriately, we need to be look beyond the actions and remember that we are a special and beautiful creation of a beautiful and loving Creator. We don’t condemn ourselves for the mistake. Instead, we remember our magnifigance and, from that place of remembering, take the appropriate steps to correct any harm we may have done. This may mean apologizing and asking for forgiveness.
Likewise, when someone else acts in a way that we view as “bad”, we must remember to look beyond the actions and see the person for who they truly are. We may lovingly point out the inappopriateness of the actions while remembering and reminding the person of their wonder and value.
Whenever I feel the urge to judge or condemn, I will remember the story of Roy and the White Tiger and the important lesson it has for me.
Forgiveness is a great power, which allows one to see the deed and be able to know that to forgive is the only way to go. God forgave our sins and they where herrendous.
God, the Father gave His only Son to die a vicious death to forgive us. Can we not forgive too?
Within every adversity is the seed of an equal or greater benefit. Sometimes difficult people or situations are our best teacher. These things or individuals show up as master teachers in disguise. The last thing we as individuals want to do is turn and say to this person or situation “I honor you oh Master Teacher”.Sometimes its years later before we can realize the great lessons we learned from tragedies. Does anyone want to call up a tragedy just for grins? I would think not unless you are some type masochist that loves pain and suffering. Sometimes things do fall out of the sky. People do you dirty, houses burn and tigers of some form get you by the throat. The question is after the smoke clears is “What did I learn from the experience”?You can be a victim or a survivor, the choice is yours.
Roy responded at a higher level than mere emtional tit for tat. Everyone gets older, not everyone grows. Some grow but only in relationship to their families and close friends, some include others, some all others including all plants and creatures of this beautiful earth of our realizing we are the earth. As Joseph Campbell said, we are the eyes, ears, mouths of the earth.
We sometimes look at others to condemn yet, given the exact upbringing, mental capcities and environmental situations, in their place, how really would we act, be. Except for the grace of God, we go.
Roy knew in his head and heart the nature of the animal and what he was capable of, what is true to a tiger, and he loved him. Perhaps they played like this at times without actually any permanent hurt, I don’t know but Roy knew the tiger. The tiger today is the same tiger he knew all along and one incident however terrible did not change his feelings. It is beyond feelings, knowledge and love. It is all three and more woven together. The tiger didn’t escape punishment. I’m sure it was trumatic to be separated from all he loved for a very long time, though the tiger cannot understand as we understand. What the tiger didn’t lose is the most valuable thing all of us, if we are fortunate have, being loved and all that being loved means even if it is tough love. This is not difficult to understand.
1.have to remember the nature of the animal, that no matter how much you love it or him and her or it, it is a natural way for that action.
you put yourself in that position.
if you truly love you must forgive. dont forget, but forgive
Years ago I use to think that the Beatles song that goes “all you need is Love…” was just silly. Now I think it is the most significant thing in modern times ever written. Folks…that’s all you need.
I do have a couple of thoughts.
First, he obviously really loved the tiger to begin with. Real love doesn’t just die, even when circumstances go sour. I can see continuing to love the tiger, but maybe rethinking the handling of him and other tigers. After all, these are not people or pets. They are wild animals. Sigfried and Roy may have learned a valuable lesson, from the details of what happened, in terms of the future handling of such animals.
ALso, you can’t blame a wild thing for its nature. Or life. When we choose to take a risk, we have to recognize that it is a risk, and accept it as such. The lack of wisdom in pretending a risk is not a risk may seem obvious, but we forget.
And on the other side of it, we often overestimate the risk involved in a situation, and hold ourselves back needlessly. We become fearful of perceived risks and stuck in our lives, so that in the end, being stuck is much more harmful to our quality of life than the risk itself might have been.
And we tend to blame others when things go wrong. This makes us “victims” in a way that life or others could never do. Roy took a risk, things went wrong, and he moved forward. He accepted his own responsibility in the situation and his accountability for his choices. He refused to blame the tiger or to become a victim. He made himself in the process stronger and more poweful for the future. And an inspiration to others.
And, of course, the value of forgiveness, but I think many others will comment on that. Take care.
Funny that the story of Roy Horn came up today…..it’s God’s way of answering my own questions.
Last night my husband and I kicked our son out of the house because he stole a credit card from us and ran up hundreds of dollars on a hard core porn website. This kind of behavior has been ongoing for several years and we were finally able muster the courage to take action.
Even though it’s hard to stop crying, I know in my heart that I forgive him. The ache in my heart is knowing that he was raised differently and chose to take this road in his life. It’s hard to understand (as it’s hard to understand why a tiget cub raised with love and care chose to hurt his ‘parent’ Roy) why our son chose to hurt us. More importantly, though, it’s hard to understand why he chooses a path of stealing and lying when he knows better.
We can only leave him in God’s hands now. We can no longer try to live his life for him and try to lead him in the right direction.
We pray that he is safe.
Dear Michael:
The first thing most people would think about is to eliminate the tiger. Instinctively, Roy knew that elimination is not a solution. Neither he nor we know why an animal reacted the way his tiger did. Even with people who may do us wrong, we do not know, deep down, why they reacted toward us in an aggressive or spiteful manner.
To kill the tiger or hold grudge against persons who despitefully abuse us do not benefit us at all. We gain more by letting of the situation and continuing to love. Love benefits more than spite.
I believe the one person in my life who did the most wrong to me was me. Since I expect to have to live with him for quite a few years yet, I might as well to forgive him. The other persons’s wrong were not as siginficant
Thanks for the note. I feel compeled to respond like so may others.
My mother said several years ago, “I always complained about not having any shoes until I met a man who had no feet.” I can’t even begin to speculate what Roy might have been feeling at the time the tiger attacked him or his resolve to forgive and continue to love his cat. I do know that things could have been worse and that at some point in your life you have to also resolve that moving beyond the negative circumstances in life is a good thing. He could have chosen a negative, vindictive response but didn’t and he should be applauded. Once something is done it cannot be undone. Our best reaction is to move forward in as positive a manner as possible. Your altitude is determined by your attitude…and I believe Roy is a much better human being and inspiration because he chose a positive way of dealing with the situation.
We don’t know what God has in store for us. Oprah Winfrey was once quoted as saying “Sometimes God can dream a bigger dream for us than we can dream for ourselves.” I don’t want to undermine the seriousness of what happened but this event may have simply been just the watershed moment Roy needed in his life to move up a little higher.
Tragedies can turn into something wonderful and my prayer for Roy is that this tragedy continues to be an opportunity for him to be a great role model for all of us and how we deal with hurt and pain and suffering and anger and …
Until later…PEACE
I was never a fan of circus animal performances and even less so of Z&R’s Vegas show. Still, the bond between the two men and the bond between Roy and the animals is beautiful.
From outside someone’s life, you can never truly know how they come to believe what they believe, be, do, have and create their lives, process and respond to their experiences. Roy gave us a glimpse with that statement and what hits me about it is that it is in his first line of belief about the behavior that makes it possible for him to continue to love the tiger.
I have a rather troubled teenage son who has a medical condition that adds to his situation. Along with this, he has a girlfriend whose family is going through some challenges now, causing them to move thousands of miles away ~ each parent to a different place ~ without the kids. The older child is staying locally with an uncle, the teenage girl is staying with me.
I have the spare room; honestly I don’t have the finances. She comes with a puppy too, one she purchased with her own savings to have a friend who would never leave her. It is an expensive little misbehaving thing….
Since Jan 1, I have handled my son, this young woman, the dog and all the other issues ongoing around me that I won’t list here ~ we all have our paths. And just 20 minutes ago my son and I had a large, loud disagreement where he called me a F—ing B because by asking the parents of this child for food money for the child I am making her feel like an inconvenience…
by making both kids share in the care of the dog, I am making them feel in the way
In the middle of this last 15inch snowstorm, while driving one of their friends home so he would not have to walk 15 blocks in the blizzard, I got a flat tire. I got back in front of my house and parked and there the car sat all week under snow while I walked many blocks to take train to work, got rides from friends and borrowed cars to get the kids to and from school, juggled lunch hours, hand washed clothes since I couldn’t get to laundry..
I wound up sneezing and coughing along with my co workers, missing one day of work with fever.
And still smiled and joked, watched funny movies, cooked meals..
All this, to get called an F-ing B because my son thinks I make his friend feel uncomfortable.
There are times I fantasize about having my home alone, just for 3 or 4 months… have my son stay with his father (not possible, he is severely disabled and needs help himself)
I wouldn’t have the monthly hospital runs and meetings, the ongoing medical supplies, the teenage angst and drama, the who is smoking pot, sneaking drinks issues, the friend and dog here…
I would be able in just 3 – 4 months pay all my existing debt if I weren’t supporting kids and medical issues…
I would be able to get that tooth in the front of my mouth replaced, an $1100 root canal gone bad that now needs an $2500 implant I simply can’t afford, so I just don’t smile anymore…
I would be able to have lasik surgery so I wouldn’t have to worry about three pairs of glasses, and they are so old they don’t help much anyway…
and get the skin surgery I was supposed to get on my chin, a keloid scar that needs to be surgically corrected, so I could look in the mirror and see me instead of a big scarred chin…
but my son is my son
given to me by the hand of G-d
And I start with this belief about his actions: He is young, often confused, torn, scared. He is defenseless really, emotionally and otherwise. He is aware that with all that is his to handle in becoming an adult, there is more for him due to his threatened immune system. And he sees a possible future in his father and his deteoriating condition.
And I am an easy target.
I don’t like the situation, I don’t encourage it. I won’t tolerate it. It is not how we speak to each other, to people.
But I get it. Because I believe I know the basis of it, and it is in his own fear ~
And I believe that Roy feels similar for his tiger, somehow in a moment of fear, of feeling out of control or not able to defend or identify or cope, it did the best it could. In Roy’s mind the tiger did not ever attack him.
I wish I felt that strongly about my son ~ there are times I feel he goes out of his way to verbally attack me. But I know it is a strategy he is using to push me away from holding him accountable and from bursting the bubble he wants to have about things being okay… even if for just this very next moment.
and this other child, if I do not help her, then who does? While everyone waits for someone to help her, what happens to her?
I was 15 when I was abandoned by both my parents. The first 15 years of my life, along with my brother and sister, a lot of things went on in my home and around my life that were never addressed, by family, by authorities, by teachers, by priests, by nuns, by neighbors – everyone waited for the “right” person to fix the issues.
Finally, when left on my own it was strangers who took me in. Gave me a place to stay, food to eat, helped me get a part time job, learn accounting / bookkeeping.. they knew nothing of me except I was a good student, had alcoholic / drug dependent parents, one away in treatement, one not functional, and had some run ins with drugs and drinking myself already…
and they clothed me, fed me and showed me a path ~
nothing asked in return.
There is a karma to all of this
Perhaps Roy’s karma with this particular tiger started so many years ago when Roy made the choice the tiger could not make, to raise him in a home environment and make him something different than a tiger born and raised in nature… perhaps that karma is understood between them in a way no one else ever can grasp.. karma is something we live, not something we study or teach
just as the karma between a parent and a troubled child
and a woman looking into the eyes of a young girl and seeing herself so many years ago ~
I have not had one single person in the many many who know of my present situation say I made the right choice in helping this child ~ but I know it is a karma between us that may never be understood. It is my choice, I make it over and over every moment, and that alone makes it right.
My prayers and love are with Roy and Z and their animals ~ I do not agree with them in their choices but I fully agree with their right to make them as they have shown they stand behind them in ways most of us could not.
This is a lot like the story about the hunter who was hunted by a tiger, and his mentor asked him if he was offended by the tiger and the hunter replied, no, why should I be offended? It was only doing what comes natural to tigers, it wasn’t personal.
Ever said but he/she shouldn’t have lied/
Why not that’s what liars do, why else do we call them liars.
If you want to make a difference, you have got to be what you ‘want’ to be.
LOVE
Dr.Norwood,Are you a psychiatrist,psycologist?Anyways;Roy was an professional animal trainer;Siegfried a illusionist.Accidents which such a deadly species will bound to happen sooner or later.Humans are a flawed species;We can ‘t improve are imprefections.We have faults in are design.Like any species we try to prefect are skills;But we all can only do so much!We love are work no matter the consquence. willowkill
I have no “Words of Wisdom” about this story. I merely know what it is like to be betrayed by someone that you raised from childhood. Loved, cared for, left a the first real “loving relationship” I had ever experienced in which I was treated well. Because of this person that manipulated me, lied to me constantly, even stole from me consistently, I did what I ‘thought’ was best for both people I loved and left. Only to have my daughter sneak out to go to bed with different “boys and men” in the neighborhood. Finally, after many psychiatrists for myself, I sent her to my sister. I do not know if I will ever forgive my daughter for being so conniving. No, she did not learn it from me,it’s in the genes is all I can say. The other side of her inheritance is full of such stuff.
I am responding to “your throat in a tigers mouth”. More importantly, I am responding post reading others responses which in truth felt a bit disheartening. Roy, in his expression of love for his dear tiger friend and companion has given us all an opportunity to step into the depths of the love that exists within each of us, at all times that is just dieing to come out. Unconditional love. I don’t believe Roy spent any time wondering what the best or right thing to do was or question his love for his Tiger friend or the love he knew the Tiger has for him. Love is love and it shows up the way it shows up. Not always dressed the way we perceive it “should” be and it shows up just the same. We do get what we look for. He came from his heart. No need to forgive the Tiger. It’s not about a Tigers nature or reason for what occured. It simply happened and there is no malice in anything unless we choose to perceive that there is. We all spend to much time living life through perception of “what is true”, that egoic part of us that defines our lives and love right out of us instead of living our nature which is to love. Love really is the answer to all questions and it is what each and every being on this planet wants to receive and give and is so resisted because of rules, perceptions, history………..Love those that you perceive hurt you. They in truth, are probably hurting for reasons you may never understand and they are just asking, reaching out, maybe in the only way they know how for even a glimmer of love and acceptance from you. It is a win/ win for everyone and you will feel wonderful. Things may not turn out the way you want them to, your desired result, but they will be blessed with the warmth of love in the moment and the moment is all we have to shine our best foot forward. As it says in a wonderful book written a very long time ago…..”love them, for they know not what they do” I am grateful for the expression of unconditional love and acceptance that this situation provided an opportunity to be shown. I am also grateful I see it.
I already have done the same thing, all my life. Love is very powerfull… When you understand it. I am the TIGER!
Dear Dr. Michael…Roy feels that the tiger did no wrong;therefor, there is nothing to ” forgive.” Harboring resentments would only compound his other problems anyway. For too many years I carried anger.Anger sucks. In fact,I’m mad at anger! Anger makes me FURRIOUS ! (I’m working on that.) We do the best we have evolved to in a given moment. Like all of us; Roy,Sigfried,& the tiger,have lessons to learn. Peace. Mike P.S. Michael, thank you for the many well done…email gifts…beautiful…onthe inside…and out.
I feel that obviously Roy is a very evolved spirit who truly understands and lives “Unconditional Love” and in so being forgiveness is a given. Also as has been stated he understands that the Tiger was acting in a protective and loving manner within his (the tiger’s) perception. Certainly if the intent had been for harm it would have followed a very different pattern.
As for my personal life experience, I prefer to live within the concept there is no wrong/right, only experiences and if I maintain balance and live without “Judgement” forgiveness is never necessary. I have found the rewards to be unbounded and can whole heartedly suggest that consideration of these aspects is much more than worth while for anyone who wishes to improve their life experience.
Thank you Michael for the opportunity to share with each other ways to improve our personal lives, and thus improve community awarness. By becoming more aware and sharing more of our TRUE inner feelings it brings us Unity to reach PEACE for ALL.
And Thank You for all that you do to help us on this Path which can only be achieved one person at a time.
Love to all of humanity, Kathy
I also heard that the beloved Tiger was trying to protect his master.
There are many times when we as parents, mentors or even coaches can behave in this manner. We react to a situation that a loved one or a client is involved in and are actually hurting them.
Early in my career as a personal manager (10 years ago) I did this by being overly protective of one of my artists. He also happened to a close relative so it was easy to do.
My Job was to protect the best interest of my client but my client/relative had an explosive personality that needed to be hidden, so I thought. So, I would take his meetings and handle all of business personal and otherwise for the sake of his “image” in the industry. My behaviour was construed as me controlling his every move when really I was paranoid this genious would sabotage his own career.
Because I was his manager I didn’t mind when every one disliked me they had to love him – Right. You take the bullets for the artist and protect his face. Well, when he started to treated me like I needed to do these things for him and he started turning on me then I knew i used the wrong method of Management. It was now co-dependency.
In the end, that method was more damaging than helpful. He was not able to maintain his posture on his own which resulted in ruining almost every relationship that my team and I would develop.
I realized my mistake began to back away from “fixing” everything for him. I gave him professional counsel and directed him toward the help he needed. So In away, (sad to say) we were both the Tiger and/or was Roy.
Of course, that was a while ago but I believe that the experience can be notable in any personal or business situation.
Create barriers or boundaries early and you not will get malled by the ones you work with or love.. SELAH 🙂
Wow, to forgive someone that has deeply hurt you. That is the place that we all would like to be at. When no matter what someone has done to you, no matter how much hurt they have brought into your life. But you love this person so much that you forgive them for whatever they have done. This is so hard to do. But it just shows that love conquers all. True unconditional love.
I have had pets all my life. Because they can’t speak our language, its hard to know why they may suddenly, for no reason that you can understand, take a swipe at you, bite you or just plain turn their back on you with an “attitude”. Roy’s situation is quite unfortunate since his pet is not a small housecat/kitten. His cat is a tiger and the damage they can do is much worse than that of an ordinary housecat. However, I do understand Roy loving this animal even though he did such major damage. He raised this tiger from a cub and this is still like his baby. I’m so very glad the cat was not destroyed, as I understand Roy kept insisting on as he was being taken to the hospital. He still loves the cat as much as ever and may never know what caused the cat to strike, but, that is a chance you take with an animal as big and as dangerous as that and Roy did understand the risks involved in what he was doing.
Unfortunately, humans have the same tendancy to “fly off the handle” for no apparant reason. Some enough to do minor bodily harm, some major bodily harm and some kill. And sometimes you still don’t know why and sometimes the person comitting the act can’t explain exactly what came over them. Perhaps it “just seemed right at the time”.
It is a very sad situation and I hope and pray that Roy recovers completely and can go back to working with the cats that he so loves.
If tigers wore shoes (or moccasins). Walking a mile in them would reveal to you that from the tigers standpoint, there is an underlying primal instinct. This instinct can emerge at any time regardless of his training or care. That said, in my opinion, it is utterly ludicrous to have any animosity toward this beautiful creature who responds to training; but, at any moment, and for reasons we may not be able fathom, will hear the call of the wild and act accordingly. Nature is, we are all in it and of it, love it.
Animals are a gift from God and humans have great capacity to see the beauty of this gift. In addition, animals have no soul nor freedom to chose, so they are not capable of malice. An animal’s priority is survival and they are instinctively protective and amazingly loyal to their caretakers (part of God’s gift). It’s amazing to me that people are surprised at Roy Horn’s reaction.
I understand the philosophy behind why he continues to love this animal. How can he be happy if he holds a grudge and changes his feelings of love into hate? Just like people, animals can do things that wrong the people that they love. It would not only be bad for the tiger, but for Roy as well were he to not love this animal as much as he always has. I just wish that I were better at forgiving and forgetting than I am. I have always been the type of person who holds grudges. I believe I am making headway and I keep trying everyday. My only goal in life is to be happy. I admire, and definitely envy, Roy for being able to let go what this tiger did.
I was moved by this story because I can see God at work. Thank you for sharing this story with us.
In all things we are grateful. Roy raised the tiger and developed a strong bond. They loved each other unconditionally. Roy was tested and he graduated to the next level in his life.
Your Throat in Tiger’s Mouth
At the time that I had read this I had someting that I wanted to write about but could not quite put it into words. Now I know why. I had to wait on Him to give me the words to say. Today they came to me.
We never know what that tiger will be or when that tiger will be there to help us. But when we realize what happened we will know that God had a hand in it.
At the time we might think that it is the worst possable thing that could happen to us but later we realize that it was another setpping stone in life, it just makes us stronger.
I read a lot of John Maxwell’s books and one that I read a little bit of every day (because that is the way it is disigned) is “Leadership Promises for Every Day.” When I read the one for today it hit me right square in the face. So I want to share it with you and I think that you will understand why.
Give Up Your Rights
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant.
Philippians 2:5-7
John continues on with his comments.
Have you been wronged? If so you’re faced with a decision. Are you going to spend your time and energy on what should have been, or are you going to focuse on what can be?
Even when truth and justice are on your side, you may never be able to right your wrongs. Continually fighting for your rights will just make you resentful and angry. Those are all destructive emotions that tap our energy and make us negative. And besides, when people focus on their rights, they’re often looking backward rather than forward.
When we stop worring about our rights, it forces us in the right direction and releases us to move forward on the journey. We recognize the wrongs, but we forgive them, and focus on what we can control–our responsibilities. When we do that it increases our energy, builds our potential, improves our prospects.
When I read this I thought about one of my clients that I was talking to last night. She has had many, many seizures and strokes and at times it just seems that they are one right after another. Yet this young lady just keeps on going and never has a bad thing to say about anything. What an inspiration!
When I get down all I have to do is think about her and my spirits are lifted. There is no need for me to feel sorry for myself. I must look forward and go on.