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| Stitch and Frank "helping" me, as I type away, fighting for justice. (you may notice the laundry piling up behind me. Yeah.) |
Although I am always seeking hope and looking for the bright side in my writing, I wouldn’t exactly describe myself as an optimist for I truly have my cynical side. I’ve seen the manipulation and politics behind the justice system, and know from personal experience that there are people in the world who will try to hurt you for their own gain. We’ve all watched trials where murderers walked away scot-free, and innocent people paid for it. And then of course, there was our situation, losing our slam-dunk “un-losable” trial.
But in spite of my cynicism, here’s something that brought great hope to my heart this morning: People from all over the world are signing our petition to Save Stitch. We have signatures from the U.K., Australia, France, Fiji. And the comments! My eyes welled up with tears reading them. It’s astounding to me the goodness that is out there, and it only takes one rotten action by one person behaving badly to bring that goodness about.
This isn’t the first time we’ve experienced compassion in action. Sixteen years ago when our house burned down and we lost everything, we were lifted back on our feet by friends, family, and even strangers. Churches and synagogues held donation drives for us. It was right before Christmas, and the staff of a local hospital even hired a Santa to deliver new toys to my children. The true beauty that we all are capable of rises to the surface when disaster strikes, and it appears to me that the good-hearted folks far outweigh the bad. (Or am I just being optimistic?)
A friend posed that age-old question to me the other day, Why do bad things happen to good people? Without really thinking, I answered, Because good people are the ones who will stand up and fight.
If you think about it, none of us were born activists. It evolved from some painful experience that was so intolerable we had to do something about it.
Through this Stitch trial, I have become connected to the most amazing people in the animal rescue world. Selfless, devoted people who give of themselves, every day. I can only imagine the stories each of them has- the experiences that led them there.
It makes me wonder, is this why bad things happen to good people (and good dogs)? Is it so we can rise to the very best in us? Would we not grow and stretch and find courage otherwise?
I hope this all works out Hollye. I am rooting for you and your family.
ReplyDeleteI think your answer to your friend is absolutely bang-on. It says it all. And that answer came without any forethought. Hmmmmm. Speaking the truth from the heart? Fight on, baby. We love you and need you for it.
ReplyDeletexoxo Barbara
FUNNY, A TRIPPY LITTLE DOG CAN MAKE GROWN HUMANS STOP A SCREAM ENOUGH! EVERYONE WHO IS PART OF STITCH'S PAGE. EVERYONE WHO FOLLOWS YOUR BLOG CAN DO SOMETHING. PRAYER IS GREAT AND STITCH AND HIS FAMILY NEED THAT. I AM ASKING EVERYONE TO LOOK INTO YOURSELVES. LOOK AT YOUR TALENTS. LOOK AT YOUR OLD JEWELRY BOX OR THE TOOL THAT YOU BOUGHT AND NEVER USED. FIND SOMETHING. SELL IT ON EBAY. ALL OF US HAVE SOMETHING WE CAN PULL FROM OUR BAG OF TRICKS. WE MUST ACT TODAY. THE CASE GOES BEFORE THE JUDGE ON AUGUST 22. THIS CASE NEEDS TO BE WON FOR THE FAMILY OF STITCH AND FOR ALL ABUSED AND NEGLECTED DOGS ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY OF OURS. IF YOU CAN GIVE GIVE. IF YOU CAN'T GIVE? GIVE ANYWAY. DO everything YOU CAN TO POST AND RE-POST THE LINK "STITCHY THE WONDER DOG" TO FRIENDS AND GROUPS SUCH AS THE ELLEN DEGENEROUS SHOW. YUP ALL OF THE ANIMAL LOVING CELEBRITIES HAVE FACEBOOK AND TWITTER ACCOUNTS. THIS IS JUST THE KIND OF STORY PEOPLE WRAP THEMSELVES AROUND. MY POINT IS PLEASE ASK YOURSELF. DO I HAVE A MINUTE TO HARASS A CELEBRITY? (I'M GIGGLING)OR SELL OFF SOMETHING I DON'T USE? TROY AND HOLLYE ARE SWEET AND BARELY TOUCH ON THE DESPERATION THEY FEEL EVERYDAY HOPING QUIETLY THAT EVERYONE WILL REALLY HELP. SO (MOST LIKELY IF YOU ARE READING THIS, YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING) MAYBE WE CAN DO ANOTHER SOMETHING. THIS MATTERS NOT BECAUSE I KNOW TROY AND HOLLYE. I DON.T MY HUSBAND WORKS WITH THEM NOW AND THEN. THIS MATERS BECAUSE IT SIMPLY MATTERS.
ReplyDelete