This is probably going to be most difficult thing I will ever write and publish, and that is why I am starting this marvelous adventure with it — if I can express in this post a small fraction of the feelings and thoughts I would like to, then all future posts will be a cinch.
"Over the months I have fantasized about what it could do for animals, what it might look like, where it might be. I painted a watercolor of it because I had to get the visual out of my head."
Wow, wow, WOW! Jeanne, your passion and vision for your sanctuary struck a cord in my heart! We have so much in common with our having an obvious HUNGER to build something that will make a difference in animals or people's lives, and that dream is based on something you can visualize and can't stop daydreaming about! Mine is building an amazingly beautiful pet memorial retreat camp where pet lovers can come attend a retreat to work through their grief, bond with fellow pet lovers, and learn about pets in heaven. It would also be a place to honor a beloved pet that passed or one that was lost and never found. I know what it's like to have a BIG, SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE dream. In 1996, when my police bloodhound escaped and was lost, I used another dog to track him down and find him. When I had the idea to become a full time pet detective (and use my dogs to track lost pets) I was told that "I was having a pipe dream" if I thought I could make a living as a pet detective.
At first, I hung up the phone and CRIED. Thank God I came to my senses and said, "You want to see a pipe dream? Watch THIS! Instead of just ME flying around with my tracking dogs, I'm going to work to train others and make these services affordable and available in ALL communities. The answer to the Lost Pet Problem is not ME and my bloodhounds --the answer is training others! So that's what I set out to do, over 20+ years ago. Not only have I made a living as a pet detective, but my online pet detective academy has trained volunteers and teams across North America and abroad. All this to say GO FOR YOUR PIPE DREAM! You CAN build your sanctuary if you just BELIEVE. The moment that you stop believing is the moment your chances of success will plummet. You got this!
Kat, thank you so much for writing. You have a generous and compassionate heart. There will always be nay-sayers, but I'm so glad you ignored the ones buzzing around your ears like gnats. It's inspiring that you went for your dream and have had a lasting positive impact on so many people and animals. And your pet memorials idea is just as impactful; pets are family and we mourn them hard when they go, because they loved us more than they loved themselves, as has been said before.
This is one of the main reasons I started writing on Substack, connecting with people who care as much as you do.
I look forward to following your progress. In spite of so many setbacks, I just learned how to tune out the naysayers and wet blankets who tried to stop me. Many of them just didn't want to see me get hurt, I'm sure. These were friends who just never took major risks and focused on the "what ifs" that never happened to me. I hope that your journey to open a sanctuary will be filled with loving support from those around you. Instead of "what ifs" I hope you're surrounded by "WHY NOT?"s from friends when you share your ideas. You only live once and being a founder involves risks, but it is SO worth it! Good luck!
I love the "Why not?" people! I love the freethinkers! It can be challenging to talk to people who just do what everyone does, but, I agree, it's usually coming from a place of concern rather than real negativity.
Thank you again, Kat. I look forward to following you, too.
Now is all we have indeed. I have also wrote post about my dad's passing and how I dealt with grief. And thanks for reminding that we all ultimately only know how we feel, seems a little lonely, but that's life!
Hello, Rachel. Thank you for sharing here. Feelings are unique yet universal, in the end. I may not know you but the fact that you reached out testifies to your emotional intelligence and ability to deal with grief. It's an emotion we don't talk about enough, I think. Again, thanks for reaching out because just reaching out means something.
You have been very brave with this article. Writing is a great way to grieve. I bought my domain name on the day my father passed away. I have been writing since. Keep writing.
'A success is never something that we give up, but what we build on.'
This line resonated with me, Jeanne. For me, it means that achieving our goals/ambitions isn't necessarily the end of our journey. We can still gain fulfillment and grow by building on our successes. It can be seen as a rewarding lifelong process.
This is beautiful and what a wonderful place to start. My dad was also in the 82nd Airborne and I was born in Fayetteville, NC. Small world. My dad passed in 2005 and I've only recently been able to write about it. The grief work has been long and deep and will probably never end. Time numbs it for the most part, but holidays and birthdays can bring it back just as sharply. My daddy taught me a deep love of the woods, river, and all things wild.
That is quite the coincidence, Becki! 82nd Airborne "progeny" and love of nature and animals. I sympathize with the ongoing grief. Grief is a weird thing, certainly. For me, it comes during the quiet moments and on Sundays when I'd usually call him.
I'm so glad we got to connect through Janisse's class. Thank you.
Wow, this was touching and beautiful. I hope writing about your dad brings you some catharsis. He certainly sounded like a special person. Death is the ultimate finality and losing someone so essential to you is the most difficult of all. I commend you for being able to put your dad into words. No one can understand another person's depth of grief, but hopefully can be there for them to lean on. Your dream of an animal sanctuary sounds wonderful. I hope you achieve it. I'm cheering for you!
Your father had a good face, a kind face. You’re right- we each have our own experience. Some of us are fortunate to experience it as profound.
Chasing dogs 🧡
Shortly before my mother passed, she saw her beloved pup, 5 years gone, sitting with her in the bed. After my father died, I had a powerful dream wherein a crone on a hill turned him into a dog. Dog has been my totem ever since.
Lovely idea for the sanctuary. May it take root and flourish.
What a beaituful tribute to your remarkable father. I remember, years ago, as my best friend's father was slowly losing his life to cancer, I asked a close friend who had recently lost a parent if he had any wisdom I could share with Pete. He said, "tell him nothing can prepare him for it." And Stewart was right, based on my experience. Thank you for sharing this reflection Jeanne, and for your regular posts. May his memory be a blessing, jeff
"Over the months I have fantasized about what it could do for animals, what it might look like, where it might be. I painted a watercolor of it because I had to get the visual out of my head."
Wow, wow, WOW! Jeanne, your passion and vision for your sanctuary struck a cord in my heart! We have so much in common with our having an obvious HUNGER to build something that will make a difference in animals or people's lives, and that dream is based on something you can visualize and can't stop daydreaming about! Mine is building an amazingly beautiful pet memorial retreat camp where pet lovers can come attend a retreat to work through their grief, bond with fellow pet lovers, and learn about pets in heaven. It would also be a place to honor a beloved pet that passed or one that was lost and never found. I know what it's like to have a BIG, SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE dream. In 1996, when my police bloodhound escaped and was lost, I used another dog to track him down and find him. When I had the idea to become a full time pet detective (and use my dogs to track lost pets) I was told that "I was having a pipe dream" if I thought I could make a living as a pet detective.
At first, I hung up the phone and CRIED. Thank God I came to my senses and said, "You want to see a pipe dream? Watch THIS! Instead of just ME flying around with my tracking dogs, I'm going to work to train others and make these services affordable and available in ALL communities. The answer to the Lost Pet Problem is not ME and my bloodhounds --the answer is training others! So that's what I set out to do, over 20+ years ago. Not only have I made a living as a pet detective, but my online pet detective academy has trained volunteers and teams across North America and abroad. All this to say GO FOR YOUR PIPE DREAM! You CAN build your sanctuary if you just BELIEVE. The moment that you stop believing is the moment your chances of success will plummet. You got this!
Kat, thank you so much for writing. You have a generous and compassionate heart. There will always be nay-sayers, but I'm so glad you ignored the ones buzzing around your ears like gnats. It's inspiring that you went for your dream and have had a lasting positive impact on so many people and animals. And your pet memorials idea is just as impactful; pets are family and we mourn them hard when they go, because they loved us more than they loved themselves, as has been said before.
This is one of the main reasons I started writing on Substack, connecting with people who care as much as you do.
I look forward to following your progress. In spite of so many setbacks, I just learned how to tune out the naysayers and wet blankets who tried to stop me. Many of them just didn't want to see me get hurt, I'm sure. These were friends who just never took major risks and focused on the "what ifs" that never happened to me. I hope that your journey to open a sanctuary will be filled with loving support from those around you. Instead of "what ifs" I hope you're surrounded by "WHY NOT?"s from friends when you share your ideas. You only live once and being a founder involves risks, but it is SO worth it! Good luck!
I love the "Why not?" people! I love the freethinkers! It can be challenging to talk to people who just do what everyone does, but, I agree, it's usually coming from a place of concern rather than real negativity.
Thank you again, Kat. I look forward to following you, too.
Now is all we have indeed. I have also wrote post about my dad's passing and how I dealt with grief. And thanks for reminding that we all ultimately only know how we feel, seems a little lonely, but that's life!
Hello, Rachel. Thank you for sharing here. Feelings are unique yet universal, in the end. I may not know you but the fact that you reached out testifies to your emotional intelligence and ability to deal with grief. It's an emotion we don't talk about enough, I think. Again, thanks for reaching out because just reaching out means something.
You have been very brave with this article. Writing is a great way to grieve. I bought my domain name on the day my father passed away. I have been writing since. Keep writing.
Thank you, Neera, for the encouragement; it is wonderful to know that kindred spirits like you are out there.
'A success is never something that we give up, but what we build on.'
This line resonated with me, Jeanne. For me, it means that achieving our goals/ambitions isn't necessarily the end of our journey. We can still gain fulfillment and grow by building on our successes. It can be seen as a rewarding lifelong process.
Thank you, Raveen. Journeying and growing is what it is all about, isn't it?
This is beautiful and what a wonderful place to start. My dad was also in the 82nd Airborne and I was born in Fayetteville, NC. Small world. My dad passed in 2005 and I've only recently been able to write about it. The grief work has been long and deep and will probably never end. Time numbs it for the most part, but holidays and birthdays can bring it back just as sharply. My daddy taught me a deep love of the woods, river, and all things wild.
That is quite the coincidence, Becki! 82nd Airborne "progeny" and love of nature and animals. I sympathize with the ongoing grief. Grief is a weird thing, certainly. For me, it comes during the quiet moments and on Sundays when I'd usually call him.
I'm so glad we got to connect through Janisse's class. Thank you.
Wow, this was touching and beautiful. I hope writing about your dad brings you some catharsis. He certainly sounded like a special person. Death is the ultimate finality and losing someone so essential to you is the most difficult of all. I commend you for being able to put your dad into words. No one can understand another person's depth of grief, but hopefully can be there for them to lean on. Your dream of an animal sanctuary sounds wonderful. I hope you achieve it. I'm cheering for you!
Your father had a good face, a kind face. You’re right- we each have our own experience. Some of us are fortunate to experience it as profound.
Chasing dogs 🧡
Shortly before my mother passed, she saw her beloved pup, 5 years gone, sitting with her in the bed. After my father died, I had a powerful dream wherein a crone on a hill turned him into a dog. Dog has been my totem ever since.
Lovely idea for the sanctuary. May it take root and flourish.
What a beaituful tribute to your remarkable father. I remember, years ago, as my best friend's father was slowly losing his life to cancer, I asked a close friend who had recently lost a parent if he had any wisdom I could share with Pete. He said, "tell him nothing can prepare him for it." And Stewart was right, based on my experience. Thank you for sharing this reflection Jeanne, and for your regular posts. May his memory be a blessing, jeff
Thank you.