The power of giving

Buying a gift isn't easy.   What do you want the person you love to feel when you give them a gift?   What would they like to experience?

Last Christmas, my lovely hubby asked me if there was anything I'd like as a gift.   I didn't want any material goods - clothes, perfume etc etc.   I wanted a gift that would last, something that would give me joy every time I thought about it.

And so when my hubby asked what I'd like, it was easy to tell him.

SPANA work around the world to help working animals - horses, donkeys, camels, mules - and elephants.   And they'd launched an appeal for money they needed to buy a mobile unit.   The mobile unit was to be a veterinary clinic to help care for logging elephants in Myanmar, in South East Asia.

The elephants there work very hard.   They are involved in logging, not something I agree with, but that's not the elephants' fault.   They suffer from harness sores, and SPANA are involved in producing a new harness for the elephants to prevent rubbing and wounds.  Infectious viral diseases are also a problem, so SPANA are doing research to manage these and control them.

So my husband donated to the SPANA appeal for my Christmas present.  He made a donation towards SPANA and their appeal towards a veterinary clinic.  And I can't tell you what that meant to me.

Every time I think of this gift, I get a warm glow inside.

And that's 5 months after receiving the gift and the knowledge of the donation.

I feel good knowing this gift is helping elephants.  It's helping SPANA care for them.

There's nothing like the gift of giving.   Many animal charities have virtual gifts - yes, they've a range of material stuff as well.   But they also have virtual gifts to actively help animals so it's always worth a look to see what they have.

For instance, SPANA have Gifts for Health and Happiness at their Happy Hooves website.  You can treat animals to a range of gifts from medicine to water, dental checks, veterinary care, and training for owners so that they can take better care of them.   One of the things I love about SPANA is that they show owners how to take better care of their animals.  They show them how to look after them.  These animals NEED these - they are essential to their own wellbeing and happiness.

What animal lover could not love a gift which helps animals?