One thing I think that needs to be addressed is “why.” We’ve heard people say “why didn’t you just put him down… what a tremendous waste of resources…why spend the time keeping an animal alive…” That certainly would’ve been the easiest thing to do. Quick and easy, just the way our society has come to expect things. Who is going to miss an animal, right? I bet even those suggesting he should’ve “just been shot” (how do you become that callous?) have had a pet in their lifetime they would’ve done anything to save. Perhaps that’s why they’re hardened today. A special animal finds its way into your heart. It expects very little in return. For you business types the “return on investment” for what you spend feeding and taking care of your pet produces an incredible return in love, companionship and adoration. You don’t have to be a horse lover – you cat lovers know what it’s like to talk to your cat as you get ready in the morning or have it sit next to you at night while you read or watch TV. You dog lovers know what it’s like to be working on projects around your place and have that constant presence of a being that thinks you’re the greatest. (The difference between cats and dogs – and I have both – is that cats know they’re smarter than you, dogs think you’re just brilliant: “What! You’re letting me out to go potty! That’s great!….what? You’re letting me back in the house now? What a great idea – where do you come up with all these brilliant ideas master!”). We got a call from a gentleman who cares for gerbils. He had some tips to share. For virtually any species, there’s somebody who loves and cares for them.
So back to the “why.” We knew it was a battle with odds overwhelmingly stacked against the little guy even surviving the first night, much less the bitter cold that followed for night after night. We knew he’d have major expenses if he survived. Our assumption was that it would go on my charge cards and over time they’d get paid off – worry about that later. The “why” is a series of ‘because’ answers: Because we had to try; because we would want someone to try and save us if we were in the same awful circumstance; because humans had put him in this position and because it was our duty as humans to try and get him out of it – he didn’t ask to be born, he didn’t ask to be neglected — all he asked for when he called to us across that wind-swept, bitterly cold pasture was to please help him stop hurting. He needed us, he deserved that help, and he got it. And lastly, because he is as much one of the Lord’s beings as any one of us. He was no less deserving of a chance at life, and possibly even more so to make up for what his life had become up til then with his slow death march through the valley of starvation and neglect. I think someday we as people will in part be judged in how we treated those beings that God entrusted us with dominion over. It’s a measure of who we are.
Across this country and in fact the world, people have been praying and sending him notes of encouragement. They have been sending donations, and they have been coming out to see him and help with him in droves! The Ericksen’s (the Larry and Char - the horse people I told you about earlier) actually printed out his guestbook yesterday and put it in a three ring binder for us to keep near Windchill – all 193 pages. Windchill’s amazing will to survive, and his willingness to accept us humans even after all this is an inspiration to those who have been hurt in some way. Windchill probably doesn’t understand that he’s the definition of resolve. He doesn’t fight for his life every day because he will possibly be in the paper. He does this because he wants to live. It’s his quiet testament that there is power in hope. There is power in prayer. Unintentionally, he brought all of you together – and you have all made carrying the load so much easier. For that we are so grateful. And that’s “why.”
Windchill belongs to the world. We’re just lucky enough that he’s here with us.
Jeff Tucker
One other thing – we didn’t choose for Windchill to live – he did. He asked for our help across that pasture, we gave it. His continued existence is the result of his intense desire to live. Had he chosen to let go and die, at most we could’ve made him feel comfortable until he passed and then we’d have been there with him so he didn’t face it alone. Just wanted to clarify that for those that judge without having looked into Windchill’s bright eyes for themselves.
