Grieving neuroscientist wrote a letter to her neighbor, thanking his chickens for helping her heal
'He told me to come by anytime and even gave me explicit permission to feed them dandelions.'
Dr. Rachel Barr (@drrachelbarr), a neuroscientist, hit her lowest when she lost her mother and her long-time relationship collapsed. To distract herself, she drowned herself in work, writing a book, and often spent weeks without any human interaction. But then, Barr met her neighbors' three lovely chickens and instantly found her life's purpose again. To thank her neighbors, she wrote a heartfelt letter and posted it on Threads on September 4, 2025.
Dr. Barr asked if it's weird to put the letter in her neighbor's mailbox, perhaps because she felt like she was intruding on their personal space. In her letter, she shared how after losing her mom and her relationship collapsing, she had locked herself in her home. Her only time out was her walks when she would interact with the three chickens in her neighborhood. "Since I can't tell them apart, I have named all three of them Salsa," she wrote. Moving on, Dr. Barr thanked her neighbors for always letting her spend time on their property with their chickens. "I am careful never to reveal any identifying details/locations, etc," she informed in her letter. She concluded by saying how their chickens were a source of joy and motivation for her when she needed it the most. Besides the letter, Dr. Barr also wanted to drop a copy of her book, "How to Make Your Brain Your Best Friend" — the one she had written as a tribute to her late mother.
While she was scared of overstepping hospitality, Dr. Barr, in conversation with Newsweek, revealed how the neighbors reacted to her visiting their chickens. "He told me that he and his family often see me visiting. He told me to come by anytime and even gave me explicit permission to feed them dandelions." Animals do have an uncanny way of healing everyone around them. In fact, a survey by the American Heart Association’s Healthy Bond of 1,000 people in May 2022 found that the majority of pet owners (95%) rely on their animal companions for stress relief, suggesting the ultimate healing power of animals. The same study found that for nearly half of the people (47%), their pets are the one that keeps them physically active.
Meanwhile, reacting to Dr. Barr's story, @thisisnotaparachute commented, "If I were your neighbour, I would die of pride that my girls had helped you. Go for it." @the_teeners78 confessed, "This is SO sweet! I want to buy your book just from this post, though it does look pretty good." @brainhospice shared, "I used to have a couple of dozen goats, and the barn side of the yard was next to a halfway house. The residents, who always included new ones, would often tell me, as they sat at a table they had pulled over next to the fence, 'THIS is my therapy.' One even taped a delivery while I was at work and was so excited to show me. Their love for my animals meant so much to me, and I was glad they received calm and comfort from them!"
@leesebassclarinet commented, "Do it. Stuff like this makes the world go round. I once received a note slipped under the door from my upstairs neighbor after hosting a sax quartet rehearsal in my flat. Of course I thought it was going to be a complaint about the noise, which I was already worried about. Instead, it was a beautifully written note thanking us for the music and for giving them a lovely soundtrack to their Sunday. It made my day, and I still have that note years later. Your neighbor will probably feel the same."
You can follow Rachel Barr (@drrachelbarr) on Threads for lifestyle content.
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