Hello all;

I've read so many emails about giving thanks to secret Santas that I
thought I'd offer an opinion.

You all know, or should know, that a Rescuer's life is both full and
empty - full of demands, full of responsibilities, full of joy and
laughter, full of horror and tears - and empty of time, empty of
thanks, empty of supplies, empty of fundsvb- oh there is that full of
judgement passed upon them and empty of compassion and the reverse -
full of cheering us on and that soul restoring compassion from kind
people. We get it all - just like you all, who do not do rescue.
Rescuing is part of life - it is a chosen endeavor no matter how much
it feels like destiny, chosen just like boating, crocheting, fund
raising, watching TV, playing games etc. is all part of life. We
also should all already know that life has good parts and bad parts -
right - isn't your life both blessed and maybe sometimes feels cursed?
If not I'm sorry if you never feel blessed and very sorry when you feel
cursed.

Some of you guys very kindly stepped up and offered, by choosing a
ferret(s) from the giving tree, to share part of your Blessings and
Holiday Cheer. No one forced anyone to pick ferrets from the tree. Some
of you gave gladly, needing no reply from the Rescuer - you know that
Rescuer and how busy life is and you require nothing other than knowing
that your offering of love has enriched a chosen person/ferret's life.

But you also know that the Rescuer is dealing with 1) making a living
to support that Rescue (AKA: going to work - a job), 2) taking care
of his/her human family, 3) tending to friendships, which are very
important, and here's the big one, the really time consuming one -
4) dealing with feeding, watering, grooming, medicating, supervising
(hopefully their ferrets aren't languishing in cages most of their
lives), driving to rescue a little one, driving to the store to buy
supplies, driving to the vet, (and hopefully returning from all),
medicating all ferrets whether dangerously ill or just needing HW &
flea preventative - and maybe getting a bit of sleep too so that all
the other duties can be performed without neglect or mistake.

By now you may be wondering, "WHAT IS HER POINT"... LOL - OK here's the
point. If you need a thank you (or just acknowledgement of receipt of a
gift) from a RESCUER and that person has not already offered one,
consider his/her schedule before you criticize or worse - snap.

I know when people ask me to call them about something I tell them that
if I do not call when they expect I should have to please call me. I
further explain that I run in so many directions that I deal with what
is screaming at me the loudest - if theycall me they have my attention
at that time. But to stop what I'm doing to find their contact info and
then contact them is not so easy. This, that or another activity is
probably already screaming at me and I'm dealing with that - but
(again) if you call me you have my attention and I will take whatever
time I have with you, even if I don't like you (the thought here is
that a misunderstanding maybe can be fixed - give it a try) - bet they
will too.

Rescuers give all year, mostly out of their own pockets and often
without help, they don't get to take vacations, they don't get holidays
off to relax; if anyone is being neglected when you are thinking about
a true and Responsible Rescuer - it is usually the Rescuer and NOT the
rescued animals who is neglected . Now as for irresponsible Rescuers -
I don't vouch for their efforts at all - usually their bank accounts
have not been totally depleted, they take time for themselves, their
charges are not necessarily clean, not always healthy, not necessarily
sleeping in comfortable beds, not fed nutritious species-specific food,
mostly caged, rarely challenged mentally - well you get the point - I
have soap boxes too and sometimes go through little breakdowns myself.

So bottom line whoever is complaining, "I didn't get a thank you", you
call that Rescuer, you tell them who you are, you tell them that you
were their GT Santa and just wanted to know X (how you liked it, did
you even get it, how your ferrets are doing, and SERIOUSLY - HOW ARE
YOU DOING - ASK HIM/HER - IT REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE).

But above all else stop feeling put upon - communication is a two-way
street. A gift is a gift - not a responsibility - no matter what Miss
Manners says. I do hope you all have a joyful and prosperous New Year!
Now let's all join hands and sing "We are the world".<<<grins>>>

Vicki

Vicki Montgomery
Tricks and Treats Rescue
Greater Houston/Galveston Texas
713-472-6599  [log in to unmask]

Click to feed shelter animals:
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3

[Posted in FML 7295]