Every morning my partner Jeff wakes up and begins his usual routine of the day. Part of his routine is to take the feed out of the cabinet and sprinkle it into the feeder for our local bird families. Cardinals, woodpeckers and chickadees mostly.
This past Sunday, my curiosity got the best of me, so I said to him “Every day you do this and frankly, it is so quintessentially you. My Jeff. The Caretaker. But why do you do it?"
He said: “I spend a few moments each morning, gathering my thoughts to start the day and helping these little guys out by simply sprinkling food. Each day is started off with one good deed. It’s just my own way of making a difference. Setting intention and direction of the day ahead.”
“But don’t most birds live their whole lives hunting and gathering for food?” I asked.
“Yep, sadly, they do,” he replied.
I scratched my head. “Well then, don’t you think your time could be better spent? I mean, I think your efforts are kind and all, but there are birds of all kinds all around the world. And 99% of these birds don’t have kind people like you to help them. How exactly are your localized efforts here truly making a difference?”
Jeff looked at me, kindly, adoringly, and simply said, look out there at that sweet, beautiful, red cardinal. If that little guy could talk to us, he’d tell us that I just made all the difference in the world.”
The moral:
– maybe not all at once, but one person, one animal, and one good deed at a time. Wake up every morning and simply believe that what you do makes a difference. Because it does.
Some local organizations seek doers to make a difference:
Established in 2014,
The Purple Flower
seeks to provide resources, one-on-one support, services as feasible and empowerment to those who have been affected by domestic violence themselves, or who know someone who has within Carroll County.
They also work to prevent the occurrence of domestic violence in Carroll County by providing awareness and education to the public.
Become a Volunteer or Member at
Good Shepherd Humane Societ
y.
They have a wide range of opportunities to care for local, homeless animals. They understand that you may not be in the perfect position to adopt a furry friend of your own, so they're pleased to provide pet shelter volunteer opportunities—allowing you to offer your free time up to provide care and love for animals in need.
If you don't have free time or have even more you want to give, they're always accepting new members! By paying an affordable subscription fee, you can give a regular donation that benefits our animal shelter directly. Contact them today to learn how you can obtain a humane society membership for yourself and discover new and interesting ways that you can help homeless pets.
To become a Volunteer call Janet Chupp (479) 244-7156 or fill out the Volunteer Form
To become a Member call Carmen Caldwell (479) 981-1036 or fill out the Membership Form
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