The Least Of Our Brethren

I was considering what approach to take in writing about empowering people with disabilities, and it occurred to me that there is another group which also suffers with many of the disabilities inherent to mankind. Companion animals, in particular dogs and cats, do indeed experience many of the same health challenges to which we are prone. In looking into the devices and aids available to our animal friends, I found quite a number of helpful and informative sites. Wheelchairs and carts for dogs are available in many designs, and there’s a wealth of information available about getting help for your disabled pets. More and more sophisticated treatments, drugs and surgeries are available for ill or injured pets.

Is there anyone alive who has not seen the videos of Faith, the courageous dog born with no front legs. She was given very little chance of survival, but Faith is now five years old, and her story has moved many a heart, mine among them. We Americans love an underdog, especially one who triumphs over tremendous odds, and Faith is a winner indeed.

I watched a video about “Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary”, recently moved from its original home in Montana to the White Mountains of northern New Hampshire. The couple who operate this charitable home for disabled animals take in only cats, dogs and horses, usually from animal shelters. Erase from your mind those pictures of pitiful little kitties with dark glasses, selling apples on a street corner. Three-legged dogs hobbling painfully around? Heck no, three-legged dogs running around like mad, canines on carts, Weimaraners on wheels! Life’s a party at RDR! Blind? Deaf? Crippled? Missing a Limb? These lucky animals have a forever home to live out the rest of their days. Here, the “least of our brethren”, most of whom have no idea they’re handicapped, will have plentiful food, fresh water, freedom, shelter, safety and unconditional love. It’s a case of humans doing the empowering for their animal friends.

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A Hard Place

For those of you who are interested, I am perfectly satisfied with the size of my male member since, in my case, the male member could refer to either of my two cats. I can with all honesty say I wouldn’t want either of them to be any larger. Would that there were some way to share this information with the rest of the world, so that I would no longer be besieged with offers to increase my size and/or performance. I am no longer the size I once was, but nor do I want to be any bigger, and it is my nature always to turn in the best performance of which I’m capable, no matter what the situation.

You’d think that my very feminine name might suggest, even to these mental midgets, that offers of cheap Viagra, or introductory deals on ExtenZe, might fall on unresponsive ears. Norton has cut the porn emails to zero, but I’m not sure how to block this type of misdirected advertising. Cialis, of the bathtub-in-the-woods commercials, continues to remind me that their product can help me to be ready “whenever the moment is right”. As I recall, before prescription drugs became so readily available, there used to be a pretty hard-to-ignore signal that said it all. “I’m breathing, you’re breathing…the moment is right!” Forgive me for being skeptical about taking advice or medication from a company that depicts the people who use their product ending up naked in the woods in separate cold porcelain bathtubs. I’m not an engineer, but I can tell you when something’s not going to work. If anyone can help me resolve this perplexing issue, it would be appreciated.

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Now That’s Shameless Self Promotion

Image via Wikipedia

I have been asked, nay begged, by some of my adoring fans, to give you an example of how I have grown as a blogger, since September 5, 2009, a day which will inevitably find its way into the history books. Looking back at the phosphorescent trail of my ascent, I too am rather astounded by my meteoric rise to fame. By my first, tentative baby steps into the dangerous, treacherous arena that is the world of blogging. Lovely Lady Luck must have been with me, because my very naivte, instead of being my undoing, simply cast a golden glow all around me so that I became invisible to my enemies (those too fearful or evil to fall under my spell). Being born under a lucky star helps, too.

If you don’t believe it’s true, think back. Honestly now, how many of you date the true beginning of your life to the day you first read one of my posts? See how easy that was? Now, I would never ask anyone for money, even though I have a PenPal account, as who doesn’t these days? It’s the new banking. It’s just good to know these things about your friends. It gives you a warm, comforting feeling, just as reading my writing makes you feel comforted. So if gratitude should ever overflow your heart, you’ll be prepared to share with me as I have shared with you. (click on the link provided)

Now as you prepare to read my rather childlike first blog post, forgive my inexperience and consider how I have grown as a writer in less than a year. You, too, could make enormous strides in both your personal growth and your advancement as a writer, and I will be happy to guide you, even though it places huge demands on my personal time and skills. But read on, and I’m sure you will be impressed. And now with no further ado, I present:

“My Firt Reel Blofg

Hi, this is mye first blovg I am riting for myshelf.  My freind hepled mee do the other pots, but eye wanted two dew one frum skrach.   She sed, ru shure, and eye sed yes, Im going to rite it by mye ownself; ewe r not the bos of me, so heer it is.  Not mush going on twoday, butt remmember, ewe herd itt first rigth hear!”

(first published September 5, 2009)

Do I hear snickers from the audience? Yes, Dear Reader, it is amusing, but let your laughter be gentle; consider how this writer has grown. Will you follow in her footsteps? The choice is yours. The blog you save may be your own.

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