Unexpected Childhood Memories

Childhood memories are often locked up deep within us, and sometimes they suddenly awaken in the deepest corners of our brain. So much is hidden in that little corner of your mind. Something that seems completely unrelated can suddenly trigger such a hidden memory. Take today, last week I ordered birch tree discs to burn. After looking at the discs for a few days, I finally decided what I was going to burn and I started with good courage. After a few hours of work, there was a rabbit on my first disc, and after a few more hours of work, the disc was nicely filled up. The rabbit looked at me from the wood and suddenly a childhood memory came to me.

I always really wanted a dog when I was young, but unfortunately, this was never allowed. Because my parents thought it was good for my sister and me to learn responsibility, and because they also knew that I was always bullied at school, they also thought it could be good for me to experience the positive love of an animal. Because a dog was simply not possible because of my mother's lung disease, they decided that we could both have a bunny.

My Bunny-buddy

The morning we went to the rabbit breeder was super exciting, and I was so happy with my bunny. I named him Pluis and remember training him like a dog. Pluis also followed me like a dog. I took care of him the way I should, cuddled him, played with him, and even taught him tricks. Pluis was my buddy, exactly what my parents had hoped would happen. Although I had no real friends at school, I had my friend at home, my rabbit. And from that rabbit, I learned what it's like to trust someone, I learned to love someone, and I learned responsibility. After all, Pluis needed care every day, Pluis' cage had to be cleaned and Pluis needed food and drink. I didn't miss a day, no effort was too much for Pluis.

The sadness was great when one day Pluis was suddenly no longer in his cage. My parents did not have the heart to tell me how Pluis had met his end, they left me with the illusion that Pluis had become ill and had been put to sleep by the vet. I could live with that, but unfortunately, the uncle at whose place we celebrated Christmas was not so tender-hearted. With a grin on his face, he told me that the rabbit in the pan was my Pluis. Ouch!

I have never forgotten that, I have never wanted to eat rabbit.

A Biting Bunny

Later I had Thumper, another bunny. Unfortunately, I was not able to build the same bond with Thumper as with my Pluis. Thumper was not such a sweet bunny. He bit your hands when you came to nurse him, he bit your fingers when you wanted to pick him up, and he bit your fingers when you wanted to pet him. In short, Thumper always bit if he had even a small chance. Even though he wasn't very sweet, I also faithfully cared for this bunny, tried to build a bond with him, and did what was necessary. Until this rabbit died a peaceful death. Because even though Thumper wasn't that sweet, he absolutely couldn't end up the same as Pluis.

I thought I Had Forgotten

This was all many, many years ago. And I never think about these bunnies anymore. What I didn't know, however, was how deeply these memories remained in my heart. And that realization came today when I had burned the birch wood slice, and the rabbit looked at me from the wood.

Suddenly, Pluis and Thumper came vividly back to my mind. The warmth of their fur, the playful jumps in the garden, and even the careful attempts to earn Thumper's trust. It was as if by burning the rabbit on the wood, I had also burned away a door in my memories.

Precious Memory Of My Childhood

When I started burning this I had no idea that the result would suddenly become meaningful to me. And when I look at it now, now that it's finished, I suddenly see a precious memory of my first pets, a precious memory of my childhood.