Sometimes you meet people in the world that have such focus and sensitivity that it changes your life. They are able to motivate others to follow their hearts, and lead an ambitious life that has nothing to do with money or material things. "Lek" Chailert of Thailand is such a person, whom I was fortunate to meet on my second trip to Thailand. Of course, you can't meet Lek without meeting her pets, giant "puppies" who like to play and hug and take baths and generally wrap themselves around your soul.
There are conservation problems throughout the world, but in Southeast Asia, Lek is promoting a 'conservation morality'. She is proving that elephants can be saved, respected and trained without the barbaric practices used for tourist shows or logging operations. It is a huge uphill battle in a place where empty stomachs and tourist dollars override the idea of animal souls or rights. She is tapping into that inner compass that says, regardless of culture, humans have basic instincts that tell us what is right and what is unacceptable.