Silver Lining: Compassion and Collaboration Lead to Hope

Bear with me… today’s blog is more optimistic that it may first appear.

Today I take time to ponder, among many other things, how difficult recent times have been for birds across the country. First, they were slammed with avian flu. This spring became the direst of times for the California condor…a huge bird, easier to spot in trouble and to a certain degree, somewhat treatable if found in time. But we don’t really know how many other bird species were impacted from the ravages of this nasty virus. We are seeing a decline in many species that were probably too small and quickly affected to be noticed in time to be treated. Sadly, those individuals died anonymously in unseen places. And their numbers are just not known.

Then once the high temperatures limited the impact of that virus, birds and many other species, including humans, were impacted by the likes of the West Nile virus. Once again, unless the creature was in the right place at the right time and someone very astute could notice the changes in behavior the animal was gone before help could be rendered…and we have no idea how many animals have been impacted by this insidious virus.

In my efforts to look for silver linings or at least not be overwhelmed by the ‘badness’ of it all, I could see many people, institutions, organizations, foundations, etc. that have come together in myriad ways. Their partnerships/sponsorships make situations better for wildlife in general and birds specifically in this instance.

We are so very lucky to have partnerships in our mission with groups like Midwestern University whose veterinarians, interns and fourth year veterinary students have joined our hospital to supply skill, eagerness, and caring to facilitate the care that our hospital staff and volunteers so valiantly attend to 365 days a year. We have volunteer veterinarians throughout the Valley who donate a day each week to attend to our patient load, and we have clinics throughout the area who provide specialty procedures when necessary. This makes our care for the wildlife, that you care enough to bring us, some of the best care in the nation.

We are fortunate to have corporate sponsors like SRP who brings us injured animals and gives cash and in-kind services, or Goettl Air who after hearing of the plight to keep animals cool donated several coolers to the cause. Foundations like the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust who donated an unsolicited Heat Relief grant to help with emergency expenses related to the unrelenting heat. And, it goes without saying that we are lucky to have so many caring people in the area, who didn’t have on their agenda a trip to Liberty Wildlife to help the creature they found in their yards, but they made the trip anyway. And often they donated for the care of these animals in need. Caring and unselfish people are all coming together to make a difficult situation bearable.

The struggles are so prevalent and it is easy to see the strife that exists, and seems to overwhelm our world. Much of the media keep these images in our faces at all times with the mentality that… “if it bleeds, it leads.”

But I would like to challenge each of us remember a different philosophy… that ‘it takes a village’ mentality which sees beyond the strife. We may not be able to do everything… but we can each do a small piece. We can do what it takes to recognize the splendid moments…the moments where compassion turns into beauty, where coming to the rescue becomes the norm, where calling attention to the good outweighs the bombastic blasting of negatives…

And where at last the splendid moments rule. That is where I want to be. Will you join me and find a place to express your good? When we work together, amazing things are possible. I see its evidence every day.