(Laura was cc'd on this FML submission which is why she was able to
immediately reply)
 
Wanted to reply to some of the comments in my email from Susann Thiel:
 
>Sorry but, it's basic etiquette that has been in place and accepted for
>millennia.  If you get a gift and you don't thank the giver, it's rude.
>Period.
 
When you give - must you always get?  Isn't it enough to know you did
something nice for someone else?  When people pick a child from a giving
tree and send a gift to that child - do the kids write back thank you
notes?  I've done this several times and I've never gotten a note.  So
is the child ungrateful?  I'm Santa to two fuzzies on the Giving Tree and
my boyfriend (a non-ferret owner) a third.  We did contact the shelters
to let them know we'd picked their fuzzies.  Not because I wanted them
to know I'm some hero but because the ferrets will still showing as
available on the tree.  They replied back that they'd send pics with our
stuff.  I replied back that'd be great if they had time, if not just have
a nice holiday.  I also sent my stuff Priority Mail with confirmation of
delivery so that eliminates the issue of "did they get it or not?" that
others have said as their complaint about the shelter operators.  If I
don't hear from the shelters I won't bitch, I won't whine, I won't think
that they didn't a ppreciate the gifts.
 
>That said - it's really very sad when a person who has given their time,
>their money and their love, who spent god knows how long working to
>raise the money they donated and then choosing a ferret (or 2, or 4)
>from the tree, going shopping, wrapping and going to the post office,
>and all their effort and caring is ignored?  And you consider it RUDE
>of them to wonder if their gift even arrived????"
 
Refer to prior comment about sending with confirmation of delivery.  If
all of this has been such a burden to you - why do it?  We've all spent a
lot of time and money on gifts and time wrapping blah blah - so what???
We CHOSE to do this.
 
>Look how many shelters took a few seconds (SECONDS!) to post a simple
>thank-you on this board for the Thanksgiving cards and gifts they
>received.  If you don't think their donors feel good, and will likely
>give again, you're deluding yourself.
 
We're different people.  I feel good in just knowing I did something
good for someone else.  I don't need it announced on a message board.
Why does it require recognition - especially public recognition - to
feel good?
 
>When the next opportunity to give comes around, are you going to choose
>the one who took a few minutes to say "thanks" or are you going to
>choose the one who didnt even let you know your gift had arrived?
 
Again, this is a non-issue as there's delivery confirmation.  I'd pick
whoever I thought needed the most help.  Not who is more likely to propel
me to sainthood.
 
Here's a word we all need to learn - especially being the holidays:
 
al7tru7ism  (ltr-zm)
NOUN:
Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness
 
Happy Holidays - pass me the egg nog,
Laura and The Seven at www.ferretocious.com
 
Laura and The Seattle Seven at http://www.ferretocious.com
[Posted in FML issue 5092]