Over a year ago I began corresponding with a woman who was as inquisitive
about ferrets as one could ever be.  Our handful of e-mails slowly began
to turn into daily or weekly updates on how our babies were doing and
then on to more personal issues.  She was a writer and I was an artist.
Two creative souls with ferrets in common.
 
Over the year I got to know her fuzzies as she did mine... we would
exchange pictures and stories, and shared tears over the losses of our
furry family, as well as tears of joy when there was times of celebration.
She is my long distance friend whom I have never met, but did get to hear
her voice on my voice mail.  It is a message I still save so that I can
hear her voice every now and again.
 
Recently, she lost one of her kidlins to insulinomic complications and it
was sad time for all involved.  Little Eddie was a strong little boy who
fought a good fight and hung in there as long as he could to be with his
special mom as long as possible.  He was a happy boy before then...
filled with joy and all those things that make ferrets such a blessing to
have around.  I look at his picture his mom sent me through e-mail every
now and again to remind myself of what he looked like and the kind of
little gentleman he must have been.  But I don't have to look at it long,
for he looks like one of our little girls.  I'd like to believe that a
little of him entered her the day he died and I think he did.
 
His mom related a story that I must share with you just so that you can
understand how precious this little guy was... His mom was interested
in getting another ferret as a playmate for the others she had when she
spotted little Eddie in a pet store.  When she went back later to purchase
him, she put her hand into the enclosure to get him to step onto it.
Instead he went to his pile of litter mates and pulled one out... he laid
this one in her open palm and then, and only then, did he beg to be picked
up.  You see, he didn't want to leave his sister behind, and so the family
increased by two that day.  He was unselfish from the very start.
 
His special mom, with his special dad, came to a decision the week Eddie
went to the Bridge... they wanted to do something special for my fuzzies
in his honor.  You can't imagine my tears as I received the gift of a
room air conditioner for the ferrets... from Eddie to our fuzzbutts.  You
see, Eddie wasn't happy until the other ferrets and family were happy and
so his joy will be passed on in the comfort of cool air for our gang in
the hot summer months.
 
Special Eddie... and Mom... your generosity leaves me speechless... I'm
not great at thank you's but I hope this gives you an idea of just how
precious I know you are.  We will be putting up a picture of Eddie in our
ferret room in honor of the little man who spread joy at home and now in
another country to a couple of strangers who were brought together by the
love of ferrets.
 
The ferret community... this is what it is all about... unity, compassion,
equality, and working together for the common good.  God bless each and
every one of you in your daily battles to make life better for ferrets
everywhere, regardless of whether you are a shelter or a person who
strives to see their ferrets happy.  To all friends of ferrets... you are
worth more than gold.  In fact, you are priceless and I am proud to stand
amongst you...
 
betty and her blur o'fur
for the love of ferrets... now and forever
[Posted in FML issue 3834]