I have a few friends who are deeply invested and very involved in animal rescue and animal shelter work. I was cruising past some updates on Facebook the other day and thought, “I’m glad for them. It would never occur to me to worry about a cat.”
I lose actual sleep over the thought of people being hungry. The idea that there are people (and especially children and the elderly) who dwell in chronic hunger lives under my skin and motivates a lot of what I do (quietly–I don’t tell you everything I do!), and a lot of the way I see the world. My worry meter is maxed out by hungry elderly and children, and cats escape unnoticed.
I am so glad for people who care passionately about cats and dogs, and horses and pigs, and lizards and birds. And I am glad for people who care passionately about ice caps and global warming, and air and water quality, and sustainability. And I am glad for people who care passionately about finding cures for diseases, and improving medications, and creating artificial limbs. And I am glad for people who care passionately about a thousand other very real needs, which I care about peripherally and nominally in general.
I am glad for those people because while I am focused on fixing what I think is broken, they are focused on fixing things that I would never get around to noticing needed attention.
I do believe that if we search out where our deepest compassion lies, we will find our personal passions for change, and if we apply action to those passions, we can make big differences in small ways.
So, my hat is off to you Animal People. Thanks for taking care of the furry guys. Do you need anything to eat? 😉
The Outside Lane 