Positive Anguish

Is there such a thing as positive anguish? I'm guessing there must be because I'm up after midnight, (sober - mind you) and feeling sorrow and happiness at the same time.

I've always known how much hard work it is to work for an animal rescue without ever having to do it. I mean, look at the world - for every person needing rescue or assistance there is a litter of dogs or more.

Today I witnessed via the internet 10 pups brought into the world. Ignorance (not in a bad way) of new momma dog then proceeded to take the lives of her own. It's been hard to watch, but I'm not living it here, but there is one foster Momma that is. Bless her bleeding heart of ache!

I've witnessed a dog that ripped it's own stitch out and was causing her foster Mom much grief because there is virtually no way to stop a dog from doing such a thing.

In the past week I've witnessed some 60+ people working hard to coordinate a transport for several dogs to get them on to fosters so they could reach out to others dogs in need. Trust me, I've watched and I've tried to help too, but unless you are involved in such things you just can't imagine the depths these people reach into to accomplish it. We're talking 20 legs from Louisiana to Ontario Canada with too many dogs to fit in one vehicle. They've successfully hunted down about 35 drivers willing to help in multiple cities across the country. I surely don't have the ability to coordinate that kind of effort and these people do it; not only successfully, but often.

I can't help but think in it all that there is good that cannot be out weighed by the bad, no matter how bad it is.

Why can I see this in a rescue, but can't see it in the world as whole? I don't want to get political about it, but I have to think there is a core in it that is very similar. Unless you care enough to let yourself feel the anguish, you just don't care enough and that's where the positive part comes in.

Rescue operators are not quitters, they are not cheaters, they are not selfish or self serving. There is nothing in it for them except knowing they did something for a animal that the animal couldn't have possibly done for themselves and they can then do it again.

Pay it forward in whatever way you can and keep paying it forward until you feel that positive anguish. If you think it's not making a difference - - know that I know it is!