Dear Readers;
Matthew: Chapter 7, verses 3 through 5 state;
Why then, do you look at the straw in your brother's eye, but do not
consider the rafter in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother,
"Allow me to extract the straw from your eye," when, look!  a rafter is
in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First extract the rafter from your own eye,
and then you will see clearly how to extract the straw from your
brother's eye.
 
I am not an expert, therefore i rely on the insight of others, who have
had many more years of experience than i, with the ferretdome world.
Having had enough losses, through the past few years, and still not
knowing everything, about these tiny beings, who's zest for life, oft
finds them in times of hardships, I must speak my peace, regarding a
reference to Troy Lynn Eckert.
 
It was through my first loss of a little girl "Athena", from shelter
shock, that i first came in contact with TLE, it was not meant to be that
we would become acquaintances, till a later time, however, through my
times with caring for Odysseus, but.  .  .also want to mention, that it
was Debi Christy, who responded to my pleas for help, in getting the care
that Athena needed, for i did NOT KNOW!
 
Over the years, TLE, as i have come to know Troy Lynn, and her
tirelessness and effort to champion care, justice, and help for those
in need, with ferret care, and services.  I also have come to know, the
sacrifices that this woman has made, for the ferrets in her care, AND,
even for those who are not, but are still in need.  She will forgo
anything for herself, if there is but one ferret in her home, that is in
need.  Who of us, can say that we truly do this for our own?  Who of us
will forgo much needed sleep, something anything, to be a dedicated to
these little curious beings.  I am sure there are many a shelter and
caregiver out there, whom i have NOT come to know who / has and done,
and they all do this quietly, with out drawing attention to themselves.
 
Unfortunately, because of time/employer and necessity, TLE, is unable to
respond to any or even all references regarding herself, due to the fact,
and thank you BIG, for making that known, that she is unavailable to
defend herself and or her efforts, during this holiday season, where as
many of us have access to email right from home.  I do enough bashing
myself, but i like to keep that @ my primary job :-) and away from the
ferret family, that i treasure so much.  IT is here, that many of us had
turned to for information, that we otherwise, may have never received!  I
have been through 4 veterinarians, to find the care that i am comfortable
with for my ferrets, so not all vets are experts either!  IT is the
common bond and our love for these little beings (i don't like to use the
word animal) for it separates them from us , or i w/put humans in the
context of human animal, so as not to separate us from them.  My ferrets,
no matter where they came from are my FAMILY!  They have free roam, as
well as the rest of us in this house, for they are considered as such,
FAMILY, not pets (another word i hate).They of course and i HAVE fallen
short in that category, have barriers to access of areas that are unsafe,
to them, but for the most part, they are allowed the freedom that we all
enjoy here.  They have access to cages, but the doors are always open.
I have carefully prepared beds, through out the house for them, to rest
their wee heads, as they wish.  We are all slaves of some sort, whether
it is to ourselves, or jobs, our homes, cars, or our companions, our
mates, we are the ones who have been given free will, to make these
choices, us "human animals", and i can say that not all of them have been
for the good of mankind/nor animal.  Look around you all!  What do you
possess in YOUR HOME?  Where is YOUR heart?  I care for humanity as well
as those in the animal kingdom, what about you?  I try to stay out of the
bashing, for i see no real purpose in it.  We all have to make a living
in this system, and not all of us can be great, or small, we all have to
fullfill our needs, as well as wants, and bashing, never accomplishes
what really needs to be addressed.  Here it is for the FERRETS!  Not our
personal psyche!  Here we share, our hopes, dreams, loves, joys and
sorrows, we are a family of people who have come together out of a love
for a little furred creature, called a ferret.  I am happy to belong, for
there are few outside of this particular realm who share my enthusiasm.
Here is where i can share my concerns, sorrows, and joys and know there
is someone out there that cares.
 
All of the animals in my home, besides myself and my human family are
either spayed or neutered.  I don't need spaying, cause my husband is
physically neutered, as he had sucumbed to the mumps.  My daughter is
responsible enough to know how to handle her own affairs, regarding life,
as she watches her friends in their irresponsible relationships, produce
children who will have to learn the ropes of society that we live in, and
a new one as it evolves.  We here have a healthy respect for life, with
hopes to improve on our own.
 
I am sorry for such a lengthy post, but as i have said before, i don't
say much, but i have a memory like an elephant, and those folks that i
work with have come to know my nature very well.  I can ponder and mull
things over for months, before i will expound on the subject, it is just
me.  I don't expect everyone to think as i do, for i am not of a great
mind, but a humble one?  I love this planet, and i hate what we are doing
to it.  This is off topic in a sense, but on target regarding the bashing
of others.  All we look for in posts are answers, if we have anything to
hide from others, our conscience will let us know, for even a criminal
hides his crimes.  There is one who we cannot hide anything from, he who
created us.  The mind is a tricky thing to deal with.  Maliscious gossip
can do great harm, there was a letter to Ann Landers about what it can
cause, and i am about to do a search of my box of goodies in search of it.
 
I also am a sinner, and imperfect.
 
sincerely
donna christen
[Posted in FML issue 4009]