This StoryCorps video did my heart good, so I want to pass it along.
Here’s also an NPR story about Storm Reyes, whose story is in the video. The best part of all is how she ended up working in a library system for more than 30 years, all thanks to one bookmobile and one welcoming and giving librarian.
“I took them home and I devoured them. I didn’t just read them, I devoured them,” Storm says. “And I came back in two weeks and had more questions. And he gave me more books, and that started it.”
Those who know me well know that I have an affinity for bats. In fact, when I was in college, one of my favorite professors gave me a poems related to some of the things that she knew I loved (mainly bats and hawks — although when I graduated, she also gave me a wonderful silk scarf with dragonflies on it that I treasure to this day). We discussed the bats after I professed my love of them, mentioning their tiny faces, and she said that most people were uneasy about them for one reason or another. The next time I saw her, she had a poem ready for me that included this line:
I’ve been following the plight of bats around the world (from being killed to dying of terrifying diseases) for years now, and I never fail to feel that these creatures are simply amazing. I honestly don’t think I’ve seen a bat that scared me or made me feel a bit uneasy, even if it does have a human face.
Some people don’t like them, but I hope this video will make you think twice about thinking they aren’t (or, at the very least, can’t be) adorable
Her story is a sad one, but she seems like an inquisitive little bat after she starts responding. And she’s pregnant! Here’s more about her first day after being rescued. (She was released about three weeks later and was still pregnant upon release!)
On a related note, there is a bat sanctuary in the United States, so if you’re interested in helping bats that have been mistreated or injured, check out Bat World to see what they’re up to. They even have bat cams in some of their permanent guests’ rooms, if you’re interested! Mr. Kitty has the best rescue story ever. It involves a cat that helps the charity’s mission, so how could that not be a good story?