friends... i need to get this off my chest...and maybe make a point in the process... i had not done so before as i don't think the person who helped me wanted the recognition...but i am going to try to do this without any names...to respect that... recently i was at my wit's end...i was literally to the point of giving up some of my ferrets...[even worse than that..but we will not go into that...]...and anyone who knows me...knows how desperate i would have had to be to even THINK of that... but the only ones i could have given up were my first ferrets...that i have had for 6 years...[you see...i am one of those that DOES have favorites...and some i just could never bear to part with...]..but i knew it would mean a death sentence to them...i am all they have ever known...and i just could not do it... you see...recently we are one of those people that many on this list warn you about being...ones with too many ferrets and not enough funds... stuff happens...sometimes your income is reduced...9/11 started it for us... with reduced hours for tommy...then tommy was out of work [shut-down] for almost all of december...even tho he is back full-time, we have not been able to catch back up yet...our satellite t.v. was turned off...i can deal with that...we make payments on the electric/gas/phone...so they are not turned off...but the part i could not deal with was the inablility to buy food for the ferrets... i am not one to ask for help...i don't feel i qualify...there are much more deserving/needier people than me...shelters with many more ferrets than we have... one day while sitting here just crying my eyes out...feeling hopeless... needing to talk to someone...i called a very special friend...who happens to be a shelter operator...[don't jump to conclusions...i am involved with several shelters...;-)]...she let me get it all off my chest...i was not asking for help...she knew that...i just needed to talk...lots of times that helps...and talking back and forth can cause things to be said that you did not think of before...i felt better just talking about it... then several days later...a huge box was delivered from The Ferret Store... i now have food enough for more than a month...maybe 2 or more... now i had only told one person about my situation...so i knew who was behind it...even tho it came anonymously...i did call and thank her...but the words can never express my true thanks for this gift...my babies will be fine now...i will be fine now... i say this for many reasons..there is so much involved in this..but one thing i want to say is this... when you reach out and help someone...you get so much back...i do not mean materially...as in the box of food...but in your heart...my friend did so much more for me than feed my ferrets...she saved a life...she sent me a life preserver...a lifeline... that lifeline was love... that is what happens when you help someone...bonds are forged...and one day...that bond may save your life...or that of your loved ones... at the very least...it will warm your heart... i thank this person from the bottom of my heart... she is not the first to have helped me thru a crisis...and i suspect will not be the last...i thank all who have helped me...for whatever reason... i hope you know how much it has meant to me...i hope i have never forgotten to let you know what it has meant to me... help someone today...it does not have to be in a grand scale as the box of food was...any way you can help will mean alot to the person or organization you help...be it time... or money... or emotional support... whatever way you can help...the rewards are priceless... thanks for listening to me... love, kat ===== KITY=^..^=KAT and the Kollektive [19] http://www.geocities.com/ferretlover97 In Memory of...White Russian...who lost his fight with ADV on May 8, 2002 Missing pieces of my heart...Marcel, LittleWhiteGirl, Narmy, OldGuy, D'weezle, Pye, and the biggest pieces of my heart...Sonny, Charlie and Geezer! ...Keeping in memory...Dweezil, Opie and Tunees... My ferret Afghans! http://www.geocities.com/crochetkat/ferret Don't cry because it is over, smile because it happened. Think about it! [Posted in FML issue 3804]