>This will be the worst message I've ever written.  Just over 24 hours ago I
>stepped on my beautiful baby girl, Echo, and killed her.  I am on the verge
>of insanity.  This is the worst feeling in the world.... ashamed.  I wanted
>to kill myself when it happened.>>
 
Oh god I'm sorry to hear about little Echo, but -=PLEASE=- don't crucify
yourself.  Every single person on this planet, human or otherwise, leads a
life of risk...we are *all* delicate, fragile critters and even with the
best of intentions and love for one another, something like this can happen.
 
How do I put this...American culture of today tries to eliminate risk of any
sort.  We have mandatory laws for all manner of safety issues, many of which
establish actual crimes punishable by fines or jailtime for doing something
that *might* be unsafe to others or even to oneself.  We've all had this
"culture" deeply pounded into us.
 
That same culture would tell you that a caged ferret is safer than a
"free-run" fert...yet I guarantee you if you asked Echo's opinion, life is
so much better with a large house to play in versus a cage that it's *worth*
the risk.  That's a concept most people can't wrap their heads around.
 
My ferts are free-run in the house, just like yours.  Before someone flames
me for saying I am risking them, recall that I drive a very fast motorcycle
as main transit, over 25,000 miles last year alone.  I take risks and enjoy
life, and as far as I can see that's exactly how ferrets are too.  Hell, I
know I lead a somewhat risky life...I make sure my guys have a two-day
supply of food and twice that in water, and my landlord/friend knows about
the guys *and* he has the CDFA phone number in case anything happens to me -
the guys will be shipped safely out of state rather than confiscated and
killed if some drunk takes me out some night.
 
*Everyone's* life is risky.  Accept that, turn your back on the guilt, and
grieve...but hold your head up as you do, since you give your ferts an
*excellent* life.
[Posted in FML issue 1810]