With Love & Understanding

Author's Note: This is a short post, with love and dedication to my Sandi Bear <3

It's a sad, sad day when you lose an animal in your life. It could be a dog, cat, bird or a fish... anything... but the emotional connection you feel with this living thing is a bond only you can understand. It can build up over years, or even just a day.

When I was a child, I had a dog and many fish. I still remember my plecostomus, a small algae-eater I had for years, named Mr. Miyagi. Every time one of my fish died, I would cry... even though it happened often, I loved them for being alive and in my life. I appreciated their life.

When my dog, Maxim, died... it was heartbreaking. He was my best friend for many, many years. I would sneak into my grandparents' bedroom in the middle of the night and curl up next to him on the floor. I would talk to him... ALL the time. About everything. I was picked on a lot as a child, so I felt he was the only one who understood me. I still think about him every day, and have his pictures plastered on my wall, in memory of his life.

On a lighter note... I once dated a guy who owned a snake. In an attempt to do something nice for him, I cleaned his apartment while he and his roommate were snowboarding, and remembered that he needed to feed his snake. So, I headed down to the pet store to pick up a feeder rat as dinner for this snake. Since he wasn't going to be home for a few more hours, I ended up playing with the rat around his apartment. Sure enough, I fell in LOVE with this little rat! So much so... that I ended up going back to the store, purchasing a cage, food and supplies for said rat, and bought another feeder rat to actually feed to the snake. I also never looked at it, for fear I would again fall in love! Needless to say, my new pet didn't live long... and I was, once again, mortified at the loss of a newfound friend. You could say I grow attached pretty easily!

So why all of this talk about losing pets? Today, my best friend has lost a beloved family dog, Gizmo. I understand all too well the pain of losing a loved one... especially an animal. There's something very special about the bond between human and animal. I believe it's almost greater than the bond between two humans. Without proper communication with an animal, you are left to feel and sense the love and loyalty with this creature... And it breaks my heart every time I hear of an animal being abused, left on the side of the street, or used for terrible purposes. Of all creatures, dogs are the most loyal, loving, and protective. We should, in turn, protect them with our love.

Luckily, all dogs go to heaven. May she Rest In Peace <3