Several years ago, I was asked to speak at a convention attended by people who were working in the area of child abuse. The aspect that I was asked to address was: hopefulness.

Having worked in that particular field for over 20 years, I had to admit that I was not feeling particularly hopeful myself, as I was retiring from my work and I was beginning to wonder if we had actually made a difference or made a dent in the lives of so many survivors of abuse.

My inspiration eventually came from two unusual sources: firstly, from the movie called Forest Gump, and secondly, from my adult son who has developmental challenges.

Forest Gump was, indeed, a wonderful movie; poignant and touching; yet there was one scene that I found rather disturbing. This was where Forest and his lady friend happened upon the run-down old shack where his friend had spent her youth, and where she had experienced many abuses at the hands of her father. Emotionally charged, running towards the house, the woman began shouting and crying, throwing rocks at it - smashing the windows; slamming stones and rocks as hard as she could, until she crumpled in a heap on the ground, sobbing and exhausted.
Forest then remarked: "Sometimes there just aren't enough rocks."

And that was where I disagreed with Mr Gump. There are more than enough rocks to be thrown, but she, and we who were abused, just get so weary and spent that eventually we can no longer find the strength to keep throwing them.

That is where our communities, friends, helpers, must pick up and continue the fight for us. They need to holler and rant and rave for us; to use their own strength to keep the fight going; never letting up until the struggles and battles are won. They must let us know they are on our side and will not rest until we are all safe and delivered from abuse - past and present.

My second ray of hope and inspiration came, as I mentioned, from my son, the day he said to me: "Mom, it isn't hopeless; other people will pick up where you leave off."

These are the same sentiments I now apply to animal rescue - we on the front lines will eventually become weary; we may begin to wonder if we have, indeed, made a difference; perhaps we'll become spent, weakened and have to step back...this is when the 'others' will pick up and pitch those stones for us...and for all the helpless critters. As long as there are creatures in need, the battles will have to continue and we need to have faith that new warriors will pick up where we leave off.

My greatest respect and thanks go to all of you who have fought for so long, and so hard.