I logged on today for what I thought would be a quick check of my email. I was happy to see my monthly newsletter from the Cesar Milan web site. Its the only show I truly wish I had cable for, and
Lenea never remembers to tape it for
me :( I wanted to share his article this month.
As you may know I am a big fan of this man. He does so much for the dog world. He is working very hard to get the message out in the sad plight of the breed pit bull.
Cesar Against Abuse
Abuse is never acceptable.
Showing an animal strong leadership and giving it rules is not the same thing as instilling fear and punishing it. A quick, assertive touch is not the same as a strike.
Never strike a dog. Never let an animal push your buttons. Never, ever correct an animal out of anger or frustration. When you try to correct your dog out of anger, you are usually more out of control than your dog is. You are fulfilling your own needs, not the animal's. The dog will sense your unstable energy and often escalate the unwanted behavior.
You are there to teach and show leadership. If your going to correct your dog, always remain in your calm-assertive state of mind. For some, this may be a challenge, but perhaps that is why this animal is in your life, so that both of you can learn a healthier way of behaving.
The first time I witnessed animal abuse was when I moved to Mazatlan as a child. It tore me up inside to see people throwing rocks at dogs and swearing at them. Later, as an adult, I witnessed first hand the effects of abuse on dogs. I have seen animals that have been hit and kicked, neglected puppies tied to trees in backyards for days and dogs denied food and water.
One memorable case is Popeye. Popeye lost an eye in an illegal dog fight. After this, his owners abandoned him. With his new vision impairment, Popeye felt vulnerable, grew suspicious and became very aggressive toward other dogs in an attempt to intimidate them.
Rosemary was also used in illegal dog fights. When she lost a particularly important fight, her owners poured gasoline over her and set her on fire. A rescue organization stepped in and saved her life, but the horrific experience turned her into a dangerously human-aggressive dog.
Luckily, I was able to rehabilitate both Popeye and Rosemary and provide them with the proper leadership they needed to be fulfilled and feel safe. However, not all dogs are this fortunate. Out of fear, abused dogs may attack, and even kill, humans. Society often sentences these dogs to death, even though it was because of humans they became aggressive.
Help us stop the cycle of violence. If you know of an animal that is being abused or neglected, please speak out. Contact your local humane society, animal shelter, or animal control agency immediately. These agencies have the authority, in most areas, to enforce local laws related to animals, as well as the ability to investigate and resolve the situation. They rely on citizens like you to be alert and report animal suffering. You may choose to remain anonymous, though providing your name and contact information will allow the group to follow up with you if necessary.
For more information, please visit:
The Human Society of the United States American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Then I opened an e mail from my older sister Elspeth. She lives in
Los Angeles and just had her first baby girl. I am not sure who is the writer of the letter, but I found it so powerful I became weepy. I think this letter speaks to many of us as mothers and woman in the world.
Being a Mom
We are sitting at lunch one day when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family." We're taking a survey," she says half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby? "It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral. "I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations." But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes. I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable. I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking, "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die. I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a moment's hesitation. I feel that I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right. I want my daughter to know that every day decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom. However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother. Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give herself up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years, not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs. I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor. My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks. I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic. I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving. I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real it actually hurts. My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes."You'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reached across the table, squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a silent prayer for her, and for me,and for all the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings. Please share this with a Mom that you know or all of your girlfriends who may someday be Moms. May you always have in your arms the one who is in your heart.
"Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body."
-Elizabeth Stone
Due respect to the writer, wherever you are.
"Individual commitment to a group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work." -Vince Lombardi
Congratulation's to my mom, Mara White, for celebrating ten years with the Waldorf High School of Massachusetts Bay in Belmont Massachusetts. I know how much time and commitment that beginning that school from the ground up has taken. And now look! I am positive that so many students are so grateful for the education they have been able to
receive. Y
AY! I watched a fascinating mini movie about the worlds population. It is truly worth watching if you have high speed. So well done, I love it.
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. --Mark Twain 
_Ethiopian%20Starving%20child.jpg){kind=link}