kindness

With special thanks to Donna W., today we have a heartwarming story and a double dose of bunniness.

Like so many bunny lovers, Donna has experienced the heartbreak of losing a bunny. She had a bunny named Mr. Sparkle, who was “crazy and affectionate and silly.” They had a special bond and spent hours together on the floor. She would talk with him. He would snuggle with her. And often they would sit nose to nose.

Sadly, Mr. Sparkle left this world early and Donna was faced with a difficult and unexpected loss. Through her grief, Donna managed to find a greater appreciation for living each moment to the fullest. When she thinks of Mr. Sparkle now, she thinks, “the light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long, and you have burned so very very brightly.”

As so many of us know, a bunny never truly leaves your heart and it can be difficult to welcome a new bunny after such a loss. But eight years after losing Mr. Sparkle, Donna welcomed the two adorable buns on this page into her home. She says Hazel and Fiver are “sweet and funny,” and she is enjoying getting to know their special bunny idiosyncrasies.

With deep respect for your loss, Donna, I commend you for finding the courage to open your heart to bunnies again. It takes a great deal of strength to do so, and I am sure you are reaping the rewards on a daily basis. May you, Hazel and Fiver share wonderful moments of bunniness for many years to come!

For more about Donna, Hazel and Fiver, be sure to follow their Facebook page and their Bunny Blog!

Today’s moment of bunniness comes from Kim C. and her angel bun, Nestor, who truly embodied the spirit of Bunny Buddhism by overcoming incredible adversity with a heart full of love.

Nestor suffered several serious infections over his lifetime and even lost an eye to one of them. He was abandoned in a shelter and ten years old before he was adopted by Kim C.

When she first brought him home, Nestor was depressed, but his new environment gave him a chance to explore his inner bunniness. Soon, he was giving kisses and enjoying the company of humans and animals alike.

Sadly, he later developed leukemia, which he fought for a year before his body could no longer take the side effects from steroids at such an advanced age. His immune system deteriorated and he developed an inner ear infection before passing away.

In life, we encounter a seemingly endless parade of difficult experiences. It is easy to get frustrated and give up. If anyone knows this, I do.

But I also think we can learn from Nestor’s experience. Nestor had to face difficulties for many years. If he had given up, he never would have found the loving home that helped him become the bunny he always had the potential to be.

Rather than focusing on the difficult life Nestor had, I will remember how he found his way into a loving home. I will remember that Kim C. adopted a ten year old bunny with one eye when no one else would. I will remember that every obstacle creates opportunity and that we are more likely to find that opportunity when we open our hearts to love and kindness.

May we all hop in kindness, for kind hops benefit all beings.

— Bunny Buddhism (@bunnybuddhism) June 10, 2013

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