A Tribute to Nathania

Nathania Did What She Came Here To Do
By Michael Kaufmann

(Reprinted from The Latham Letter Volume XXIV, Number 3, Summer 2003, www.latham.org)

The mosquitoes were buzzing around our heads as the late May desert sun gradually rose over the red rock canyon. Deep in conversation we slowly walked up the sandy path through the wild roses, scrub oak and evening primrose. Walking already was difficult for Nathania, but she intentionally chose to guide Cathy Rosenthal and myself up the steep hill to the underground lake in Angel Canyon at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Once at the entrance of the cave we paused and then proceeded into the cool darkness to where the clear, still water rested.

The evening before we had completed a three-day workshop titled "Getting your Message Out", for a group of shelter based humane educators, Best Friends Employees and several college student interns. The purpose of the experiential workshop was to help each participant discover his or her unique voice - to hone teaching and writing skills and consider different approaches in humane education outreach. As always much of the workshop took place in the animal areas of the sanctuary, as rabbits, dogs and horses were included in the workshop as teachers in their own right.

Six weeks later, Nathania Gartman passed away on the morning of America's Independence Day. What timing. I can almost hear her high-pitched laugh at this final bit of mischief. How fitting. The Nathania I knew was all about independence, a determined woman who created an unusual life that was dedicated to service to others.

She appeared as an unassuming but potent presence at national and regional conferences and was highly respected for her contributions, her knowledge of animal sanctuary work and her willingness to put forth the effort necessary to complete challenging projects for the American Association of Professional Humane Educators, the No-More Homeless Pets Campaign and numerous other professional efforts. Her voice was that of conviction tempered by patience, reason and wit. She was a master bridge builder between diverse individuals with often opposing philosophies, who in her presence discovered similarities.

Nathania was one of the founders of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. For over thirty years she participated in the building of a dream, of creating a place where animals could live out their lives in peace. But that dream was much larger than to provide mere shelter for animals. Nathania's vision always encompassed human beings as well, especially children and people who were suffering in any way. Nothing could flare her temper more than knowing that someone was being treated unfairly or that an injustice was being done. The story of Best Friends has been documented in a recent book and not surprisingly one chapter was dedicated to the humane education work Nathania has been doing since the beginning. At one station in her life she was known as Daffydil the clown, reaching out to terminally ill children in oncology wards.

There was always a little mystery about Nathania, there is much about her past that I will never know. There were veils, hinting at painful memories, difficult times and challenges. Nathania chose to keep many parts of herself to herself, yet this in no way made her distant. She had a deep faith rooted in her southern heritage that was complemented by eager study of diverse theology. Her connection to a vibrant and lived faith, were at the core of who she was. It was this non-judgmental and subtle spirituality that empowered Nathania and gave her the wisdom and connection to something real that she was able to transmit to others.

Nathania loved animals - not in some fluffy, gooey way. She respected animals as individuals who have a destiny all their own. In her eyes a dog should be allowed to live like a dog. While she firmly believed in the depth of relationship that people and animals can establish, to her this bond relied on mutual respect and of letting the animals have their space. The human side of the relationship had to be in balance with that of the animal. In her accepting eyes, both people and animals were perfect in their imperfection.

Only minutes before Cathy and I were to leave Best Friends to head back to "the real world" Nathania stopped her car and slowly walked us over to an impressive red rock pillar, so unique to the Utah desert landscape. On the side of a sandstone ledge, about twelve feet up in the air were several faint handprints and designs, the legacy of native people who traveled through the canyon many thousands of years ago. We paused, spoke briefly of mundane things and then parted for the last time.

What is the legacy of an individual? For a while we may live on in the thoughts of those who knew us. But even memories, like petrogliphs in rock will erode and vanish eventually.

But for a few short moments in time a woman named Nathania Gartman walked in Angel Canyon. She breathed the air and watched the Golden Eagle fly to the sun. Her tears drenched the soil and her songs echoed on the canyon walls. She knew that people could be small, that life could be hard and that it wasn't meant to be easy. But more than anything Nathania intuitively felt her connection to the goodness in the universe and found her destiny as a teacher, mentor and friend. She did what she came here to do.