The Cost of Kindness

I woke up in a bed I did not know. My throat was on fire. I vomited blood. I thought my life was about to end, and then I spotted her. A nun sitting in a chair at the foot of my bed. For how long she had been there, I will never know, but it was clear she was waiting for me to wake up. She walked towards my bed and placed a cool flannel on my forehead as she gently touched my hand. “It’s okay, dear,” she softly spoke, her words blanketing me with calm.

And it was. And I shall never, ever forget that kindness.

If I have learnt anything during my 60-plus years on this wondrous planet, it is that every day we have the opportunity to be better versions of ourselves. And through the simple act of kindness we have this opportunity.

Since 2003, Edgar’s Mission has been a vehicle for offering kindness to animals in need. Gentle, innocent animals, who have endured the worst of humanity, have found the best of it through kindness. And I can say unreservedly that it has been my greatest honour and privilege to be able to sit at the helm of doing so.

Of seeing lives transformed by kindness. From the kindness of the human who has seen an animal in need and realised that what they chose to do next would determine whether that animal lived or died. From veterinary surgeons who have performed surgeries on species they have not worked with before. From innovative humans who have created prosthetics, wheelchairs and rehabilitation plans for animals many have considered not worthy. Because of kindness, frightened animals who would have once desperately tried to flee human presence now run towards it. Animals whose bodies were but a bag of bones and riddled with parasites and ill-health have slowly morphed into happy, healthy and mobile individuals.

Every single act is a miracle of kindness, and every single animal is a testament to this.

From my dear Chloe, our oldest and longest-living resident found as a tiny week-old lamb, now a proud matriarch of the sanctuary; to sweet and sassy little Fae, a young kid goat whose shattered pelvis has been put together again – and now with her best buddy, Carlos, her life has been made whole; right through to that cheeky little lad, Tim Tam, whose happy-go-lucky nature in his wheelchair daily inspires us to never complain – they are just a few of our many animal friends whose lives have been fortified by kindness.

So here’s to another 21 years and more of kindness, as Edgar’s Mission continues to sit as a beacon of hope for a kinder world for animals, including the human ones.

I wish to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you who has made our work so far possible. From your belief and kind and generous donations, from the stellar efforts of our staff, volunteers and contractors, and from those who like and share our posts and send in their heart-warming comments, I truly am blown away by the support for and love of Edgar’s Mission. Bless your kind hearts. And just like that dear nun who touched my hand all those years ago, you truly give me hope that, through our shared humanity, the world will become a kinder place for all of her inhabitants.

Namaste.