This is the season of giving. No two ways about it, gifts cheer people up and make their lives better. But why do we presume that gifts have to be expensive toys, jewelry, etc?
There is a gift that costs very little and will so brighten everyone's life that there is just no way to go wrong. I refer to a gift of unconditional love, cheaply gotten, yet utterly priceless.
Lonely shut-ins often have nothing more than a TV set to keep them company, and folks, that is for the birds. And there are puppies and kittens at your local animal shelter who only want to snuggle into that lonely person's lap.
You can adopt affectionate pets for a token fee, and make all the difference: the shut-in is no longer utterly alone, and the animal has a loving home.
Two gifts in one, both the gift of kindness. Have the animal spayed/neutered, get the pet their shots, and a week's worth of food.
Know that kittens and puppies will love you when no one else can. As they grow, the bonds of affection deepen and improve.
The gift of life, and the gift of company. What could be more appropriate, more appreciated, or more humane?
Animal shelters must sadly euthanize healthy animals because no one has come to adopt them, and that is the saddest thing these kindly people have to do.
If you want to give someone the finest gift that exists, give them the gift of unconditional love and the gift of life.
What could feel better than that -- all the way around?
www.aspca.org
