This is something I wrote on another forum about a wonderful little girl
who was trying to talk her mom into letting her get a ferret.  I just
want to share it with you all also.  Thanks so much for being there
 
You know guys I was looking on the net last night, unable to sleep with
all the issues I have running through my head.  (New job Monday, man I
wish was gone in body like he is in his mind, many debts, teenage girl,
many animals who need me to always be what I have always been to them,
terrible back that needs surgery I can not afford to get, outage of pain
meds I have been on for almost 4 years, etc....sorry, I digress)...
 
I must say, I came upon some of the "pet finding" links and I got so
unbelievably overwhelmed, saddened and heartbroken looking at what they
call "small & furry".  They were displayed 25 to a page and there were
hours and hours of pages worth of hopeful kids.  As I looked at their
faces, one, two, three and sometimes four to a picture.  Some who's
caregivers couldn't even put a picture.  Some with special needs, some
later in their journey, possibly just needing a safe loving person to
guide their last days and to show them to the other side, love and
attention they have yearned for, show them the bridge, all the while each
of the prospective "new parents" knowing their hearts would be broken by
these gifts from God, for taking such a risk with such a needy child,
even if it is exactly the inevitable we are hoping to cheat.  Even to,
almost more sad was the "other creatures" in this category who don't live
as long, or bond in such a way as our wonderful ferret friends do.  They
out number the ferrets maybe 50 or more to one.  I know this is not new
to any of us but there comes a time when we if we let our hearts open,
and take a hard look at it, that it becomes too much to bare or "take in"
per say.  I sit here now thinking, what a wonderful gift if this sweet
girl who wrote to us, would adopt one of the needy kids who have already
lost their first loving homes usually through no fault of their own.
An even worse realization is that I do not think that I saw any of the
shelters on there who actually advertise their needs on our groups.  And
I did look at page after page after page after page for shelters that are
all over the US, even some in Canada too.  How could we (as the human
race as a whole, I mean) let this happen to so many of God's Creatures.
 
Are we as humans, so shallow and uncaring to let this just be ignored by
the masses.  I know not all people care or, even think as pets as equals
or deserving of a good life or contentment.  I weep for those people, as
they will never know the deepest recesses of their soles and the heart
felt feelings they could experience in life, that they could cherish
forever.  Life changes, life changes us, now how do we change life?  This
has alluded us since time began, with so many wonderful inventions and
terrible life threatening and life taking inventions, still common
courtesy and compassion alludes most of us.  Look out for ourselves, take
care of ourselves, use others to get what we want or think that we need.
What does it take to wake up an entire world?  SARS and Bird Flu these
are the things that make people talk, not those sweet faces of love we
turn our heads away from.  I pray that the Lord touch "us" and share with
us, the way to reach people and let this finally end.  If there is birth
there should be LIFE.  I don't understand how we can spend so much time
and money killing people in other lands, for the greater good, and yet
be able to ignore the suffering and bad policies that have victimized
our children, both 2 and 4 legged for all time.  I have no intention of
turning this into a political argument, as I feel that there is no good
or bad that would come of that.  It takes too many of like minds to make
changes, no matter the agenda in our government.  There is no like minds
without high priced backing in this time.  Who do we have there as
lobbiest's in this fight, the fight to end the suffering of the unloved,
homeless and whims of the ignorant?  I am sorry if you have cried while
reading this, but know that I have cried while writing it.  I thank all
of you who are doing what you can, I know that I will be trying to find
answers to some of my own questions.  If anyone has any ideas of what
else we can do, not as just one person but as many, please please let me
and, all of us who care know.  No idea is too small, unless it is only
shared within yourself.
 
Thanks for letting me express my internal pain on an external forum,
with whom has people that I know are good and caring.
 
Blessings and insight to all of you.
 
Sherri in MO
[Posted in FML issue 5305]