Why Bother?

Maybe it’s the sign that you’re born under. It’s as illogical as that for some people. For others it could amount to a Community Service. Some people don’t find it hard to walk past a person in distress; it’s even easier for them to pass a kitten or cat that is obviously distressed and unable to cope. It’s just not their problem and it’s only an animal.

Their level of awareness is narrow and I have to remind myself that we’re all doing our best with our current level of awareness. That’s important to remember when you’re engaging with people who don’t share your concerns or point of view. There are people who have never had the experience of companion animals, their lives revolve around other things, other events or other reasons to live. They didn’t create the problem and so why should they have to be the ones to clean it up? Some people may not be able to give of themselves. They may be operating from a feeling of not having enough in life. That way of thinking will always leave them feeling empty but there is always hope for personal growth.

When I became a hard core, undeniable rescue worker and a feeder of stray cats I felt as if I’d been dipped in a deep pit of sorrow. I saw cats that were sick and weak and with no way of helping themselves; I saw this on a daily basis. The universe is abundant and it’s also impassive about the distribution of wealth as well as misery. The worst cases of cats in need are usually the once House Cats who suddenly have to try to survive on the streets. These are the cats with heart conditions and no one willing to take them to the vet even for a humane euthanasia.

I was once privileged to accompany a woman to the vet with a cat that she found dying on the street. This woman just wanted me to accompany her and hold the cat while she drove. In its final moments the cat put his paw into my hand and pressed my palm. It was gratifying for me to have been there for the cat’s final moments and to support a fellow rescuer who showed me her Rescuer Heart.

Thanks to Social Media there are now a lot of rescuers across the country who manage to find each other and provide the only emotional support and validation that they will ever get for their hard effort. These people have a common bond: A passion bordering on obsession to champion the helpless strays, orphans, abandoned and abused animals that our society has decided to ignore.

These people are also expressing their Divine Spirit. I won’t get religious I mean this in the sense of Energy of Creation. We create our lives and our communities by our daily actions based on how we feel about things and the energy we put out with those feelings. We talk about The Secret and manifesting what we want: We can manifest a better world and we can start one cat at a time or even one person at a time, it depends on where you drop your bucket.

Individual rescuers take time out of their busy day and money out of their already depleted bank accounts to help these cats. Someone asked me why I did this seemingly thankless work that left me with little time for friends and family and less resources for my own luxuries. At first I said, “I don’t know – I just have to do it.” Now I know about Consciousness and Self Actualization and I can see how rescue is a challenge that forces my Imaginative Genius to perform and get stronger. I benefit from every animal that I rescue.

Now I know that we are more powerful than we can ever imagine. I do rescue work because I empathize with other people and with animals. I know that I have the strength of my convictions: “don’t wait for someone else to do it – take action now!” That awareness elevates my trust in myself and that contributes to my sense of personal power.

I also find satisfaction in seeing a dirty, unhealthy kitten or cat regain their good health and blossom into a gorgeous feline. Their spirit keeps pace with their physical health and their personality is usually a bonus to the rescue.

I find satisfaction in knowing that there are other people who care – not only for the animals but for other people as well. Isn’t this true of most rescuers and Samaritans? This Cosmic Consciousness binds us to each other and makes us rich!

There’s a thing called Flow; we think we’re just enjoying being with like-minded people but there’s more to it than that. The energy that we’re sharing is what’s exciting and we understand and support each other. Not many people will step out of their comfort zone without a safety net. Rescuers are rare birds; we’ll step out briskly and with no blueprint. We get things done and thankfully there are people who are willing to help us both emotionally and financially.

Why bother? I’ve learned a lot about life and humanity from people who rescue other types of animals - like ferrets, turtles, rabbits, squirrels – the list is long and the atrocities are endless. I’ve learned a lot about working with other people and about how to approach the work that I do. I’ve learned to ask for help and to admit when I’m overwhelmed. I didn’t start rescuing abandoned cats and sick strays in order to meet people and to learn about life, but that seems to be part of the package. Do you want to see what you’re made of; do you want to feel what it’s like to fly like an Eagle? Volunteer and get your feet wet.