"For
animal lovers like me, rescue is the most incredible, rewarding job… in the
history of ever.
At the same
time… it’s also the most heartbreaking…
The truth is…
You see a lot of things… you never thought you’d see.
You witness a
level of cruelty… you didn’t think was possible.
You feel a
degree of helplessness… you never thought you’d know.
You stare at
painful images… soon burned into your memory…
that will
haunt your thoughts forever.
You try to
pick up the pieces… so many pieces… of the damage you didn’t do.
You do
everything in your power… but even still… you’ll never reach them all.
You’ll try to
stay strong… but you’ll mostly feel weak.
You’ll build
walls to protect your heart… but they’ll never keep you safe.
You’ll place
barriers around your soul… but the pain will always reach you.
And no matter
how hard you try to fight it… over time… here’s the truth about what happens in
animal rescue…
The neglect
changes you.
The abuse
hardens you.
The suffering
breaks you.
The ignorance
angers you.
The
indifference disturbs you.
The injustice
destroys you.
On a daily
basis… your faith will be tested…
Your heart
will be wounded…
Your soul
will be altered.
On a weekly
basis… you’ll question yourself…
You’ll
question your strength…
You’ll
question the world.
On a monthly
basis… you’ll fall down…
You’ll get
up….
You’ll go on.
On a yearly
basis… you’ll look back..
You’ll see
faces…
You couldn’t
save them.
You’ll learn
to mourn. To grieve. To sob.
You’ll learn
to trust a little less. To do a little more. To fight a little harder.
You’ll learn
to try. To hope. To pray.
You’ll learn
to fail. To succeed. To accept.
You’ll learn
when to hold on. When to give up. When to let go.
You’ll learn
who you are. What you stand for. Why that matters.
Then… at
times… you’ll forget why you matter.
You’ll
question what you’re doing.
You’ll wonder
if it’s worth it.
But… here’s
the good news… When you forget… When you question… When you wonder…
All you have
to do… Is take a look around… And you’ll see them.
You’ll see
their faces.
You’ll see
their smiles.
You’ll feel
their love.
In their
eyes, you’ll see their journeys…
You’ll
remember their beginnings…
You’ll know
how far they’ve come…
You’ll
remember when they didn’t know you…
When they
didn’t trust you…
When they’d
given up.
You’ll
remember how you healed them…
How you loved
them…
How they
loved you, too.
And as you
look back… You’ll want to move forward…
For them… and
because of them.
In your
darkest hours, you’ll look around…
To find the
differences made… the hope given… and the lives saved…
Because you
existed.
In those
moments, when you look into their eyes…
every doubt
will be erased.
Every
question will be answered.
Every worry
will subside.
Because in
that instant… in each of your hearts…
You both
share the very same thought:
“Every bit of
pain was worth it… for this moment here with you.”
And honestly…
no matter what else happens…
Those moments
hold all the strength you need… To keep going.
Rescue is
pain.
Rescue is
joy.
Rescue is
worth it… because they are worth it.
And that’s
the honest truth."
- Anonymous
author
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