ZB- I don't have too many words of wisdom to offer but here are some hugs... (((((((((Z))))))))
I had a girlfriend many years ago who ran an animal rescue group. She was very hard to be friends with, because she made no pretense that the animals always came and would always come first in her life. She's been married four times. Husband #3 was a very sweet guy, 10 years younger, who was easy going and adored her. He helped her at the animal shelter that housed wild abandoned and injured animals. They also had lots of dogs and cats as pets.
One time he and I got to talking privately after they had been married for a couple of years (he was 30-ish, she was 40-ish), and he said the animals overrunning the house-- as much as he loved them-- were driving him crazy. He went into some detail, but I'm sure you can fill in the blanks.
Later, she and I were out somewhere and she was talking about how he had been kind of grumpy and distant, and without revealing that he had confided in me, I sort of moved the convo around to "well, maybe she needed to make him more of a priority, like maybe picking one area of the house that was for humans only and off limits to animals, like maybe at least the bedroom." She resisted that idea reiterated that for her the animals would always come first, and that anyone who was married to her had to understand that. He eventually left her.
And in fact, she and I eventually broke up, too. It was just too hard to be friends with someone who was so rigid. Even her family members have a hard time with her. Her sister told me that recently when she and her sons and a couple of nieces were going on a trip, they begged her, "Please don't let Aunt Xxxxxx come along." She's no fun to be around. Every fiber of her being is focused on animal welfare and there's no room for anything else. It has gotten worse as she's gotten older.
Having said that, out of the other side of my mouth, I admire your W and the efforts of others who are working with the Katrina animals. This part of the tragedy really hits me hard and I have tremendous respect for people who put themselves out to rescue animals who depend on us for survival. But I don't have to live with any of them.
If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain.
