Taking Deep Breaths

The past 10 days or so have been a whirlwind of emotion - from outrage to helplessness - since WSLS' news story regarding the treatment of animals at the Regional Center for Animal Control & Protection and by (shockingly) tight-knit association, the Roanoke Valley SPCA.  I was furious to learn that the two seemingly separate entities shared a director and appalled at his annual salary ($97K) - do you have any idea how far even half of that amount could go towards a low-cost spay & neuter program for Valley residents?  Or towards a T-N-R (Trap-Neuter-Release) program to reduce populations in feral cat colonies?  There is so much GOOD that could be done...yet those good works are being eschewed in favor of what amounts to laziness and disregard not only for the animals but for the community that would be happy to give of itself in order to make their lives better.  It's frustrating and disheartening and leaves me wanting to bang peoples' heads together, but that's never really helped to solve a crisis, has it?  So what, then?  When I'm bemoaning the fact that people are the problem, I have to remind myself that people are also the solution.  When I look at rescue sites, when I become completely overwhelmed by every furry face that's sad and afraid, I have to look back at my brood and remember what theirs lives might have been had they not found their way here.  And then I have to remember to take deep breaths, to look outside of myself instead of within and to move forward instead of spiral downward....and remind myself that it's okay if I can't change the world on my own because there are plenty of people who are willing and able to help.

We Are Their Heroes

Jim Willis, 2001

If you worry that you have not made a difference,
you have,
for only those who do not worry about it have not.
If you feel overwhelmed, if the weight of problems
is too heavy to bear,
remember it is a shared burden
and the strength of numbers can accomplish much.
If you think society and government are blind,
it only serves to remind that we need to change
one mind at a time, one law after another.
We effect change by cooperation, not by isolation.
If you consider that we cannot save them all,
and what difference does one make?,
you ought to know the joy of the one who is saved.
Mourn those we cannot save. It is a eulogy to their being.
Do not let their loss be in vain.
Be kind to yourself, remember your needs
and those of your family and friends of every species.
If you give everything, what will you have left for yourself,
or for them?
Strive to be happy and healthy. You are needed.
Achieving balance in life is a lifelong struggle.
We who help those who do not have all that they need
should be among the most grateful for what we have.
Be proud of your accomplishments, not your opinions.
The quality of your efforts is more important than the quantity.
Forgive your own deficiencies - sometimes your caring is sufficient.
Everyone can do something, it is up to you to do the thing you can.
A kind word and a gentle touch can change a life.
If a seething anger wells up within you, because people are the problem,
remember your humanity and that people are also the solution.
Concentrate on specific needs, pay attention to the individual -
they make up the whole.
See beyond the unlovable, the unattractive, the impure and the wounded -
see that their spirit is as deserving as the rest. Help them heal.
Their eyes are windows to their soul and the mirror of your sincerity.
All species, all beings, share this Earth in a chain of life.
Care more about what makes us alike than what separates us.
Policies, rules and regulations are not infallible.
Apply them judiciously, interpret them wisely.
No decision based purely on money is ever the right one.
Listen to your heart. Sometimes we have to do that which
we are most afraid of.
Be true to yourself and your beliefs.
Family may abandon you,
friends may disappoint you, strangers will ridicule you.
People shun what they do not understand.
Help them to understand - kindly, softly, gently.
Those who do not respect all life are to be pitied.
Often the wrongdoer is as in need of help as his victims.
Forgive, then teach by example.
Educate yourself or you cannot hope to teach others.
No action based in hatred is ever right and
anger drowns out wisdom.
Yours may be a voice crying in the wilderness,
make it a voice to be respected.
Listen more than you talk, be courteous and reliable.
Learn to ask for help. Never waiver from the truth.
Know that it takes a lot of strength to cry and
with every defeat, we learn.
All Creation celebrates that which is in its own best interest.
The Children are our hope - nurture them.
Nature is our legacy - protect it.
The Animals are our brethren - learn from them.
Your rewards will not be material, but they will be meaningful,
and the courage of your convictions can survive anything.
We are small boats cast adrift on a cruel sea, but someday
the tide will turn toward a safe harbor. No matter how dark
the storm clouds, or deep the pain of heartbreak - never forget:
We are their heroes.