Recently I attended my long awaited volunteer orientation at the Michigan Humane Society. I entered a room packed with people anxiously awaiting the session to begin. A very exuberant yellow lab worked the room for the entire two hours of Humane Society information-fest 08. I couldn't help but think that it was some sort of test to see how attendees would respond to the strategically chosen animal planted in the room. Those who couldn't handle the slobbering bundle of joy would be asked to leave one by one, where I would be left to be the super-star-animal-loving volunteer of ALL time and they would reward me with my own matching orphaned puppy and kitten. Not surprisingly, everyone stuck around and soaked up all the love that wiggle monster could dish out. About half way through the orientation, the speaker stopped to give the dog a treat to munch on. Moments later, it appeared that the dog's mouth was stuck open by the flat, raw-hide like treat. It was nearly an emergency situation. He started to whimper (the dog), the speaker started to panic and all the crazy animal loving people started to freak out. One lady bucked her way out of her chair, pushing by all the other volunteers with her cell phone and other personal items flying in the air to rescue the struggling dog. I sat in the back and observed the whole thing trying not to burst out in laughter at the entire situation. The dog was fine, but it was as if we were on Candid Camera featuring a bunch of over-zealous animal-lovers get nutty when they see furry friend in distress. I giggled a little wishing someone else saw the silliness of the situation, but was relieved to see the dog bounce back with even more joy as he received a treat that was not a choking hazard.
This is all besides my main point really. Here's the truth: I'm one of those nutty, knock-people-out-of-the-way, stop-the-car-in-the-middle-of-traffic-doing-some-kind-of-McGyver-moves-to-save-a-lost-pet kind of animal lovers. (Actually I really did that on a freeway ramp leading down to the 210 freeway in LA...some poor little fluffy white dog was scampering down the ramp- it probably had dementia or something- at 12am one night...I had to jack knife the Saturn to stop him from going any futher! I saved him and took him home that night to his owner, it was glorious!).
It's unexplainable to me at times how I simply can't shut it off, this passion, concern, empathy, and absolute love of animals. I haven't done much with this fiery passion in my life thus far in terms of action, in order to help the animal kingdom. My only claim could be remaining a vegetarian for over a decade now. I decided back in 1996 that I had a choice in the matter, that if I wanted I could make some small dent in reducing animal suffering with my consumer powers. But not eating meat separates me from animals and doesn't allow me to dump my love on them! Enter Ari, the Hebrew Lion lover of my life (aka, my pet cat). She has for about 2.5 years been the recipient of much of this love. But having a pet just isn't really doing my part with what God gave me.
So now onto this tank I refer to in the title of this entry. I've always struggled with finding my purpose in this life, what direction to take, and really honing in on the passions God has created me with. Most of the time, I struggle with all three in much frustration, to the point I feel like I'm sinking into a life of apathy and uselessness. The past five months or so have been rough in many ways due mainly to some big changes and transitions at work. As the fog begins to clear and the weight of it all is lighten, I've begun to pay attention to what fills my tank since it's really felt empty for quite some time. I decided to dig into this animal passion I have and not just let it sit there rotting away. Thus the orientation for the Humane Society. I knew about two minutes into the orientation that this was it. I was IN my sweet spot. I couldn't get enough. I wanted to get to the animals immediately and comfort them, love them, walk them, and just make sure they know that they are valued, creatures of God that deserve to be treated well. I signed up to be a dog walker and hope to be one of the volunteers who gives presentations at elementary schools to teach kids about humane treatment of animals. I should start in about two weeks.
The feeling and excitement was unlike anything I've felt in a very long time. My tank is starting to be filled. It has been keeping me going all week!
I think it's a struggle for other people to understand this love for animals, but Nick has been so great and supportive as he encourages me in this passion. After much prodding and convincing he decided that it would probably be a really good idea to try to test our future dog to be a therapy animal through an organization like
Therapy Dogs International. Also, in celebration of my passion, Nick bought me the most wonderful, I mean
the most wonderful
book about the emotional lives of cats. It's page turner for me as I discover the inner world of my cat...why they do what they do, how they are so different from dogs, but so interestingly wired as independent creatures filled with love and concern for their humans.
A few nights ago, Nick really became more of a heart-throb than ever to me, as he mended Ari's most beloved toy, an old beaded bracelet that broke into a jillion pieces. Watch his progress below and try not to fall in love if you can...
Notice Ari spying from behind the chair, peaking through the legs.
Wondering what the heck is going on with toy.
She emerges to supervise...
The master pet-toy-fixer moves to the table for some serious stitching and mending.
Fixed and sealed with a kiss!
The queen with her revived bling
(she seriously LOVEs this bracelet, shake it and she comes running from anywhere, and oh does she ever love to fetch it.)
Anyways, I love doing what I love, which kinda makes sense. More to come...
P.S. Don't I have the most wonderful man??!! Ugh. He's so delightful to me.
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Nick's birthday! He'll get to use his new Wall-E sheets for only a short time (until June 19th to be exact)... but he still loved getting them for his bday!
