Thursday, October 22, 2009

Thursday....let's talk about ego

Ego, opinions, dishonesty, controversy, cliques, secrets.......it is all right there in the horse rescue world. Believe me....the stories we could tell. Who has sided with who, who turned who in, who ran off with the money.......who sold horses back to feedlot and who can't keep any volunteers.


Few rescues can do it on their own......however, with that being said......a person or persons decide to become a "rescue". With that decision comes committment and responsibility (those things you hear me preaching about now and then). I decided to become a "rescue", therefore when no volunteers show up, the work falls to me.....and I don't feel badly about it. I made the committment....I ultimately have the responsibility. When I don't fundraise or get any donations, I pay the bills.....that is how it works. I can't get mad and make phone calls demanding that I get some volunteers over to the farm.......I can't call up God and ask for some money to come floating down from the sky. There is NO money to be made in horse rescue......so I have to manage. I have to know that I can take care of what I have. Do I want volunteers? YES. Do I want to fundraise? YES.
I consider it a gift when I have volunteers.......a HUGE gift.....icing on the cake.....a blessing. I am in awe when a person gives his or her time to spend with my committment and responsibility......when someone takes it on as their own. I am humbled by the dedication and hard work of the volunteers. Honestly.

Some months I spend A LOT of my personal money making sure horses are fed, vetted, dry and safe....other months I have help by other folks who love horses. Either way, I am doing something that will save horses lives....not every life, but some will benefit. I often wish I could do more, but I don't complain about the time and money I put into this....if I did, well, gee.......I guess I just wouldn't do it anymore.



You have to let people have ownership, have a valid opinion, add ideas........cutting people off who do not agree with you doesn't add to your program. People with experience are worth their weight in gold......these are the folks who can take the reins and help the rescue grow in the right direction.

Harsh words kill spirits.
No one wants to be verbally shredded when they say something wrong or make a suggestion....or if they disagree.....
.
folks want to help, want to be acknowledged........they want to make a difference.

This rescue business is not all about me or YOU.....it is about saving horses.....one at a time or two at a time.



.....it is not who wins the battle but who wins the war. A single soldier is never as mighty as an army and that army is led by a leader who has won the hearts, minds and souls of his/her soldiers....and those soldiers willingly go into battle for the leader. You fight for a common goal.








Pride is concerned with who is right. Humility is concerned with what is right."

—(Ezra Taft Benson)


I now will get off my soapbox.... :)
enjoy your Friday.




Pony Up fortune for Friday......

"when the sun shines for a moment, your luck will be revealed"

1 comment:

Dawn said...

Amen! nice Rosemary!