About Me, Rooney, Buttons and the Animals
About seven years ago, as I began to free up from my business activities, I had more time to devote to my first love - music. The music business is also a grind, as music equipment gets heavier, (most performance venues do not have a suitable piano, so you bring your own keyboard, amplifier, microphone, stands and mixing boards, etc.). Longer to set up and longer to break down, carrying from home to auto, from auto to venue, from venue to auto and from auto to home again.
My inspiration to continue this taxing grind, besides my love of performing, was not economic. I had worked hard and was economically fortunate in that area, but my old promise to myself was that, when I could, I would give back to this world. And what better way for me than to help the little creatures, especially the household pets, who bring us so much happiness and unconditional love each day. They are defenseless, and even the fiercest are no match for the terrible weapons and machines of mankind. Yet, these dogs and cats are fulfilled only in their bond with their human families. That is the wonder - that despite the frequent abuse, these creatures never break their natural contract with mankind, that is to love us, to learn and observe our rules, and despite the many occasions of abuse, greet us each day with affection and happiness.
My pup Rooney has been with us for almost fourteen years now (Buttons was with us for fifteen years), and each day he reinforces the miracle of the diversity of life on this wonderful blue and green planet, this tiny dot in the cosmos that we call Earth. Rooney and I look at each other and we are so different yet bound to each other, so much alike in that we love each other, unspoken, but shining in our eyes.
And so for seven years now, I have put all of the proceeds from entertaining to what I think is it's highest and best use, the care of small, innocent animals.
I am so much aware of all of the other wonderful charities that benefit the needy children and adults in this world, but my choice is the animal kingdom. It's a deep choice and difficult to explain. So much of it is emotion. Not only do we abuse these wonderful creatures, we hunt them for sport and profit - Have Mercy!
My two main charities are the Arizona Humane Society and, on the east coast, the Animal Rescue Fund (ARF). It is so wonderful to see that tip cup fill up each time I announce the destination of the money - the care of the needy animals. People are truly wonderful, and I thank them, heartfelt, each time I perform.
And every time I perform, every time I set up the equipment, break it down, carry it back and forth and drag myself home, tired and bone weary, I think of where that money is going and I get that good feeling that says I just got a little closer to mankind's redeeming virtue, the ability to truly love.