Dream Bigger

There are many reasons we don’t scroll on Gumtree (fridge, freezer, lawnmower—all perilous thoughts) or attend “livestock” auctions in hope. Instead, we surrender our fate to the universe and wait to see what she sends our way—though we often wish she didn’t trust us quite so much.

But when we were sent the picture of a handsome mixed-bred ram, we didn’t see a life reduced to a use, or a being ready to be a tool. We saw possibility. And we knew we had to dream bigger.

And kinder.

That’s how Gumtree came to us. A strapping, curious, gentle lad who walked through our gates and into our hearts as if he had always belonged. And maybe, just maybe, he had—if not in body, then in spirit.

He was young. Friendly. Disarmingly soft. Though when the testosterone kicked in, he’d give a swift toss of that big, musty, rammy head of his. He has a fondness for faces and a fuzzy chin that loves to explore them.

Though the fate he escaped isn’t something we dwell on, it certainly fuels us. Because the truth is, there was no logical reason he was spared—he just got lucky.
Thousands don’t.

Now a wether, Gumtree has found his rhythm. He knows the routine. He waits for his Weet-Bix treat with a hopeful glint in his eye. He leans in for ear scratches with a quiet trust. A humble gesture to which we always respond—he has us well trained.

At night, he hunkers down in his bed, safe and warm, lovingly wrapped in the hum of sanctuary. We like to think he dreams of kindness. We know we do.

Gumtree reminds us, in so many ways, that sheep aren’t simple. Or silly. Or spare. They’re soft, sentient, and full of grace. And when they’re ready—full of love. They carry stories in their eyes. They teach us the language of gentleness. They remind us of who we are.

And what we can become.

And though Gumtree may not know the weight of what he’s escaped, we do. We see it clearly in our worst nightmares. And we know that history is always watching.

What will it see?

A world that still treats non-human animals as things to be used, sold, or discarded?

Or a world wise enough to know that every life deserves to be free—not “to a good home,” or even a bad one. Simply free.

We choose the latter. Because empathy demands it. Because love insists on it. Because dreaming bigger is not naïve—it’s the only way to live.