Hi all you good people,
I wanted to share this letter that found its way to my 'puter for my
morning coffee.  So many of you expressed such compassion.  I woke up
thinking that today I'm not going to cry over this rescued ferret; that
today I'm going to be mature (after all, I'm over 45) and put things in
perspective.  Here was Troy Lynn, and I fell apart big time..I'm a *wuss*;
a soft sponge that sometimes wishes she was a hard brick.  Am still hurt
about the turn-around that Dr.Joe had, because he mislead me, and I trusted
him.  Troy Lynn had these words that I thought would apply to a lot of us
in time of need.  Gonna frame it...Troy Lynn wrote:
 
Morning Liz -
I just checked the latest FML and only part one of your story came through
so the rest of the story will be in tomorrows issue.  From your first part
of the story post, I can see that you are agonizing over not having rescued
him sooner.  How could you since you didn't know?  You acted as soon as you
could and that is all any of us could do.  And yes, it hurts to think about
his suffering before your rescue, but it is time not to think of what has
been but what is going to be.  He is now in safe loving arms and will be
cared for as he should be.  You did well in placing him and perhaps you can
visit him from time to time to ease your conscience that he has a good and
loving home.  Placing him in a wonderful home allows you to be able to
rescue another, when the time comes.
 
It is difficult to place the little ones, as we know that we can care for
them properly and love them, but take it from someone who has taken on a
huge responsibility when she decided to keep all the sick and abused -
finding homes for those that we can gives others the opportunity to help
too and takes a bit of the load off of us so that we can be prepared for
the next situation where we are needed.
 
Just think of the wonderful christmas present you gave to the little one
you rescued (a new loving caring caretaker) and to the one that is now his
caretaker (another bundle of love).
 
Rescue work is difficult in the least.  It is painful, heartbreaking,
emotionally draining, and can bring weeks or months of nightmares but it
has it's rewards as well.  To see an emaciated malnourished ferret begin to
gain weight, to see an abused frightened ferret do their very first ferret
dance, to see a neglected ferret cuddle in warm clean blankies and drink
from a sparkling clean water bowl, and eat fresh nutritious food and to run
and play, and to see them all learn to trust us gives rewards ten-fold.
 
As much sadness as I see, I try to see the silver lining to the cloud of
darkness.  I do this for the ferrets.  They are so in-tune with our
emotions that their happiness hinges on how we feel.  Even though our home
is filled with ailing and at times dying ferrets, I am cheerful for them.
They truly need for me to be that way for their happiness.
 
Fear not for what has been, but rejoice for what will be.
 
Warm gentle hugs. tle
Troy Lynn Eckart
[Posted in FML issue 2904]