I should open first by saying that there are many others who would be way more qualified to write this than me.. I'm not a huge animal activist, this is my first time fostering, and I've never rescued puppies from a burning building...
I'm just a guy, as average as they come, with a couple of very cool new friends/house guest.
Their names are Casper and Wendy. They are Mother and Daughter, ages 14&11 and they are Huskies.
I had never really thought of animal fostering before... and wasn't even thinking about it when I heard about these two girls. A friend posted on Facebook, that they were looking for a foster home for them a few months ago... I didn't even know if I would qualify, but I looked around and saw plenty of room for a couple in need of a place to stay and thought, "Why Not?"...
Some advantages to fostering are, the support circle you have around you.. If I run into trouble, help is a phone call or e-mail away.
It's good for people who may not know what the future holds, so committing to owning a pet for the next 12-17 years may be impractical.
In my case, finances are an issue.. Can I afford to buy and feed a pet? Sure I can, but if they tripped in a hole while running tomorrow and needed $1000.00 in Vet care?... Ummmm.. No I could not even begin to figure out what I'd do.
Each rescue group is different. The one I deal with drops off food when I run low.. sometimes treats as well, and they take care of vet expenses.
(And at this point, I really need to plug; "All Breeds Canine Rescue", They are the very nicest of people and there is a link at the end of this :-)
When I told friends that I would be receiving two new house guest, one of the first questions that they asked me was, "What if you get attached to them?"... I foolishly responded that I wouldn't. I was just trying to do something nice.. but I knew it was temporary so I would not let myself grow too attached....
AND.... I didn't. Nope, not this guy, who is completely in control of his emotions... Not for a whole 2 weeks. That's when I was coming home from work, sitting on the bus excited and happy for some unknown reason, and it hit me that I was feeling that way, because I was looking forward to seeing "My Girls".
So, there you have the big disadvantage.. The "Knowing", that one day they will go away, and yes, when I think of that, Of course I get sad, and I imagine that when that day comes.. This 6 foot tall, heavy set, bald, dark man.. will shed more than a few tears. But that's OK... Because the smile on my face watching Casper crashed on the bed with my sleeping daughter, like that's the only place on the earth that she wants to be, or the fun we've had being out in the snow together.. The memories of late cheesy movie nights with Casper sleeping on my lap, and Wendy crashed on the love seat.. and even waking up squeezed on 8 inches of bed, while they hog the rest of it.... All of that and more will make those tears sooooooo worth it.
Now you might think by reading this, that maybe I have one of those quiet lives, consisting of me sitting around alone and these dogs are now my life, Like the Crazy Cat lady down the street.. But in fact, I have 3 Awesome kids, I have Amazing friends, an Incredible family and a job that I love(4 out of 5 days LoL)..... Even with all that, these girls have added new joys to my life, and I am very grateful for them.
Now back to my original question. Is Animal Fostering for you? Well, if you have a spot where you can place a litter box, some room on the floor for a food and water dish, If you didn't notice whether it was sunny or cloudy out today, because you had other things on your mind,.. If you think watching American Idol would be more fun while scratching a furry sleeping head.... or if just want to so something nice to one who maybe can't say thank you with their words, but more than compensates with their eyes, It is definitely something you should think about. Because Kindness in all forms benefits the giver as much as the receiver, and nothing makes that more evident than when you come out of the bathroom and your foster pets are laying on the floor outside the bathroom door waiting for you to come out..
Maybe we can't change the whole world.. But fortunately we all have the power to make it brighter for someone.. and sometimes that someone is very furry :-)
Peace Kiddies
Add... Here is the link for the Rescue group I deal with, I will include other links of other groups as I get them.
All Breed Canine Rescue-
http://members.petfinder.com/~ON229/MAIN.html
I was about to write up something for Valentines, and then I remembered this beautiful Poem, shared to me by a friend who has an equal gift with poetry.. It's breathtaking , will make you sigh, and might even evoke a romantic tear..
Happy Valentines Day Kiddies
Valentine
By John Fuller
The things about you I appreciate
May seem indelicate:
I'd like to find you in the shower
And chase the soap for half an hour.
I'd like to have you in my power
And see your eyes dilate.
I'd like to have your back to scour
And other parts to lubricate.
Sometimes I feel it is my fate
To chase you screaming up a tower
Or make you cower
By asking you to differentiate
Nietzsche from Schopenhauer.
I'd like successfully to guess your weight
And win you at a fete.
I'd like to offer you a flower.
I like the hair upon your shoulders,
Falling like water over boulders.
I like the shoulders, too: they are essential.
Your collar-bones have great potential
(I'd like all your particulars in folders
Marked Confidential).
I like your cheeks, I like your nose,
I like the way your lips disclose
The neat arrangement of your teeth
(Half above and half beneath)
In rows.
I like your eyes, I like their fringes.
The way they focus on me gives me twinges.
Your upper arms drive me berserk.
I like the way your elbows work,
On hinges.
I like your wrists, I like your glands,
I like the fingers on your hands.
I'd like to teach them how to count,
And certain things we might exchange,
Something familiar for something strange.
I'd like to give you just the right amount
And get some change.
I like it when you tilt your cheek up.
I like the way you nod and hold a teacup.
I like your legs when you unwind them.
Even in trousers I don't mind them.
I like each softly-moulded kneecap.
I like the little crease behind them.
I'd always know, without recap,
Where to find them.
I like the sculpture of your ears.
I like the way your profile disappears
Whenever you decide to turn and face me.
I'd like to cross two hemispheres
And have you chase me.
I'd like to smuggle you across frontiers
Or sail with you at night into Tangiers.
I'd like you to embrace me.
I'd like to see you ironing your skirt
And cancelling other dates.
I'd like to button up your shirt.
I like the way your chest inflates.
I'd like to soothe you when you're hurt
Or frightened senseless by invertebrates.
I'd like you even if you were malign
And had a yen for sudden homicide.
I'd let you put insecticide
Into my wine.
I'd even like you if you were the Bride of Frankenstein
Or something ghoulish out of Mamoulian's Jekyll and Hyde.
I'd even like you as my Julian
Of Norwich or Cathleen ni Houlihan.
How melodramatic
If you were something muttering in attics
Like Mrs Rochester or a student of Boolean mathematics.
You are the end of self-abuse.
You are the eternal feminine.
I'd like to find a good excuse
To call on you and find you in.
I'd like to put my hand beneath your chin.
And see you grin.
I'd like to taste your Charlotte Russe,
I'd like to feel my lips upon your skin,
I'd like to make you reproduce.
I'd like you in my confidence.
I'd like to be your second look.
I'd like to let you try the French Defense
And mate you with my rook.
I'd like to be your preference
And hence
I'd like to be around when you unhook.
I'd like to be your only audience,
The final name in your appointment book,
Your future tense.
=================================================================================
Footnote. The Picture of the rose was taken by the talented Bee Rawlinson.. See some of her other photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/beeeze/
When I was a kid, I remember a story, that you've probably heard, so I'll keep it short.
It was a story of a man walking along the ocean after a big storm when the tide had receded. He noticed hundreds, maybe thousands of Starfish stranded on the beach. He never gave it much thought until he saw a kid frantically picking up Starfish and throwing them back in the water. He finally asked the kid what he was doing.
The boy explained to the man that if the Starfish stayed out of the water too long, they would die.
The man was incredulous. He said.. "There are maybe thousands of them on the beach, you won't even make a dent in it.. Why are you wasting your time? It just doesn't matter."
The child picked up another one and as he threw it back into the ocean said, "It matters to this one".
I love how something that we do, even if it's small can be a miracle to someone else.
This Christmas I was able to witness some of these miracles made, by seemingly ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
The first is my dearest friend. One of her passions is the Homeless. While I was decorating my home for Christmas, she was on bed rest with pneumonia... But she used that time to write, call, and seek out donations of hats,mitts,blankets and food... and when she was able, proceeded to hand them out to people on the street who could use them.
Another person, who I don't know personally but admire, works tireslessly in the aid of animals who are abandoned, or abused... While I was finshing up my Christmas shopping... She spent weeks gathering donations of Cat&Dog food and other supplies that she was able to donate to 6 local shelters and organizations that care for animals.
And one more who touched my heart...
On Christmas morning... I logged into my Facebook page and saw a single mothers post. She doesn't have a lot of money.. Nor I imagine enough time to juggle between a couple of small kids and a job... But she wrote:
"If anyone is gonna be alone for Christmas
please inbox me or text me, your more then welcome at my place ...no one
should be alone for Christmas!"
Just an invite to anyone alone... I had plans for Christmas... I spent the morning with my kids and worked in the afternoon... But it still touched me that someone would make that offer.
The world around us is what it is. Sometimes Fabulous, Sometimes Scary and it's not always easy. I don't think that any one of us alone, can fix it.. But we can make it better for someone by chosing kindness and by supporting those who would go the extra mile to make it better..
We aren't all going to go on the street and give the homeless blankets and soup. But we can donate to the person who does.. Or to the person who is protecting the animals.. or anyone who is trying to do good on a larger scale....
We can do those things that may seem small to us, but could be huge to someone else.
It can be as simple as being a friend.. To the people we know and even those who we don't know.
Then we get to help, we get to be part of the miracle. And while it may not matter to everybody... It will matter to someone...
Peace Kiddies
Sometimes I get a thought, and
I can see clearly how to express it. Either in speaking or in writing. I'm
grateful for this.. It's not so much that I think anyone needs to hear/read my
thoughts as much as I get a lot out of communicating them.. I understand them
and therefore myself better. Other times... It's not so clear. It's more like a
jumbled mess that I try to get out one way or another. While it may seem
confusing, I am always grateful for my family and friends who humour me by
letting me get it all out. This thought, I think falls in the latter category.
What's on my mind tonight is
how many of us wait... We wait to tell the important people in our lives how
important they really are, and why. We hold it inside because "They Know",
or it might be awkward, and of course we have thousands of tomorrows to say
something if it happened to come up.
The fact is though.... That so
many people have no idea of their own value or worth in the world,or in
someone else's life.
People walk around lonely and alone when really if
they had the slightest idea it could change everything for them.. and who has
that information? WE DO!
I haven't been to a lot of
funerals in my life, thankfully, but the ones I have been to all have one thing
in common. People saying wonderful things about those who have left. Many of
them with thoughts of "if I had only told them".
The saying:"Evil conquers
when good people(men) do nothing", applies here. There is a big world out
there that sometimes seems intent on making each of us feel bad about ourselves
and not seeing our personal worth, and all we have to do for it to win is
absolutely nothing.
Or we can try being an island and hold ourselves up with much
force and struggle, until we hopefully win, or finally get tired of fighting, But do you
know what takes remarkably little effort? What is so easy for us, but has so
much power for others? If instead of holding ourselves up.. We boost up someone
else. Think about it.. You can stand in front of a mirror for hours, building
yourself up, and even walk out your door with your head held high... But that
feeling is nothing compared to when someone looks at you and honestly
says.."Wow, you're looking Great today." So simple and yet so
powerful.
We all have so many amazing
people in our lives, and for the most part, we don't know their battles or struggles. However, No matter what
they deal with we all have the ability to make it better and help
them to stand taller. Simply by being honest. By letting those around us know
how much we value them and even why we do so much.. Just pointing out things that may seem simple to us, but
they may desperately need to hear.
My challenge this night is not
to make things up... But to be more honest with those in our lives, and allow
ourselves to simply not hold back.
We just never know who's life we might change.
Peace Kiddies
