Sometimes in life, we see and feel things that move us deeply emotionally. We hide them in the moment to protect our pride, not to look weak but to protect our hearts/souls from ridicule. There is a whole part of our world and beings that we never talk about. Robbing our world of some of the deep emotion that invokes serious enough thought to motivate change. I am lucky enough to find myself surrounded by many “warm handed” “some do people” to feel safe enough to share one such moment.


Mom had given our new camera  to Laddie’s mom to bring it down here to me in the lower mainland so I could get some great pics of Chris at escapes.ca. Kate had fallen in love with Laddie reading the blog, and just couldn’t help it and just had to make the journey north to collect him. Now that’s how a “some do person” spends their week holidays. I think we all remember Laddie when he came in http://www.turtlegardens.org/2008/04/14/another-day-another-turtle-gardens-update-a-very-special-one#comments http://www.turtlegardens.org/2008/04/15/neuter-day-at-turtle-gardens-4#comments

I thought it might be worth it to have a look. So I am in a hurry, as usual and went to drive out to Chilliwack. I got these crazy directions to some place and off I went. I never saw coming what happened next. I knock on the door and heard barking dogs (I love that sound. Always makes me smile!!) I was told, “Hurry, come in, don’t let the dogs out.” I step into one of the most beautiful living rooms I have been in in a long time. You can see in the pics, hard wood floors and the most beautiful white, yes I said white, fancy all-matching furniture. It looked like one of those designer magazines. What happened next is one of those things that makes you blink your eyes in disbelief. I am not seeing what I am seeing. There was Rover (Laddie) standing in the middle of that living room, eyes all bright and shiny with a big smile, and his heart filled with love!!!!  I immediately began to well up, tears of happiness. I am very skilled at hiding them (I have been known to have a soft heart) and my buddy, Rover, strolled over recognizing me right away and helped me hide my face in his long hair and hug and kiss him. I couldn’t believe the change in him, he looked so good. The Angel’s “warm hands” filled his heart with love giving him spirit to love life again.

Rover’s angel was hurriedly explaining all the things that she had done for him where he went to the vet. All the pills he was taking. I have to be honest I wasn’t really hearing her, all I could think was how close and upset mom was when he came in and how much she loved him. The special food and all the “you guy’s better be nice to that old dog!!!!” How dad trimmed his feet for him and gave him special food right from his plate. We get very close to the sick and injured. But Mom taught me many many years ago that we can’t love them enough, they need to go to a furever home to really feel loved, while our intentions are great we just don’t have the time. And with great courage she would send them out the door; eyes fill with tears of joy (yes I got my big heart from my mom) Like many things our mothers tell us we seem to just trust it because “mom said so” but last night I saw it with my own eyes and felt it with my own heart. We never usually see them after they go to their homes. Its so far away 14 hours one way and we never have time. As I get older and get to see more of my parents’ life work here in Vancouver I have a better understanding of how smart and strong they really are…


All this went on and I am sure Kate had no idea what I was thinking or feeling. And I am sure that my parents had no idea what I was thinking too. I really would like to thank Mom for the soft heart and the courage to just say what I feel. There is a very special place in this world for Kate.  What she has done for Rover takes tremendous courage to love a being that much when you know they are that close to moving from this world to the next. (it’s almost saintly). I feel compelled to tell you the truth about what I felt at your house last night, and to thank you so very much for doing something we never could. Let Rover feel as loved as he does. You are one.  you continue to do the something that you  can do

I also feel compelled to share with mom and dad because I heard from a little blue bird (redneck for secret spy) that you didn’t have money for gas to go to the vet. With the price of gas so high I know it’s making your daily life very much harder to deal with. I also know how discouraging that feels and I think that’s the worst. That thankless sinking feeling. So I thought I would pass on what Laddie told me and made me feel. I am sure he would love to thank you himself, he sure thanked me…… But I think I heard him say, “Could you give this to your parents for me?” And Mom I think there are many deep emotions that you have created that no one talks about.  Soon the talk will start and the motivation to change society’s outlook and one day there may be no more broken souls. I know you have this dream please don’t lose sight of it….and thanks for sharing it with me……   Stan Labatte

©Turtle Gardens Animal Rescue Society. Have your pet spayed or neutered today.