Hoots, Howls, and Hollers 08/31/2009

This past week I got to do something that is always very enjoyable—and this time was no exception. I had the pleasure of introducing someone to Liberty Wildlife. This new friend of Liberty’s is a man with deep passion, and we found that although our basic causes are a bit different they have many things in common. He is the father of an autistic son—a young man with special needs. This proud father’s mission is to be the spokesman for those who can’t speak for themselves—very similar to a stand we take at Liberty.

We agreed that it is necessary for us to remain loyal to basic American values of hard work, equal opportunities for all, that nothing is “throw-away-able”, and that we need to give back at whatever level possible. As Ted Kennedy was laid to rest the next day, I heard many of these same things repeated. One in particular, was the notion that it is always better to focus on what we can do rather than what we can’t do. We were reminded that no matter who you are you have something to contribute. If you are a child with special needs you have many things to contribute; an animal unable to survive in the wild can still have a purpose—being the “voice” for those in the wild who aren’t heard.

I was still thinking about American values when I joined my kayaking friends on a trek down a desert river. I am not sure what could be more beautiful or pleasurable. And, as if to reinforce my ponderings, we were blessed with the sighting of three bald eagles, flying free and looking strong, while small herds of Indian ponies and a stanchion of saguaro cacti, symbols of our wild American west, were also powerful physical reminders of the values we stand for, qualities already on my mind, and it all worked to renew my soul.

It reminded me of my favorite quote of the week from a speech by President John Kennedy. We should live by it, and many that I know already do: “All of us can make a difference and each of us should try.”