kwendt...yah...i know what you mean the trust of a child...had [unfortunately] contact w/abused children brought to our pediatric clinic at kaiser yrs ago by welfare agents...children chained to chairs..locked in closets..so much heartbrk...but after a few trips to us and the warmth and affection shown by staff....we even had one little one who eventually smiled and even spoke!
and then there are the animals. one of my cats is now 12yrs old...found when she was a couple of weeks old...couldn't walk...so weak...she is still not one that you can snuggle - unless it is her idea - you can't just bend down and pick her up...she runs. but she loves to quilt...and is quite insistent about digging under the hoop in my lap and snuggling down...she will even purr then...her name is squeakey...aka squirrely squeakey or black ghost...but she is one of my little loves...and i think she knows now that she is safe and loved till the end of her days...like the vet told us re: bopper...sometimes they never recover...but i can still give them lots of love and they appreciate it in thier way.