Pets
By MJR SNAFU
I have known many people in my lifetime, some friends, some family, many casual business acquaintances and many, many, more that I have met in my personal pursuit of happiness. The more people I meet, the more I appreciate pets.
Unconditional love, no strings, no deceit, no head game, no ulterior motives, no lust, no envy, no pettiness...I swear I could go on for hours listing bad character traits and negative aspects of personalities but in the end each of you reading this might think I am referring at some point to you so I will just say it is stunning how few people in your life may actually give a rats ass about you, your happiness, but your pets are always there. Sure it may be in part due to the fact that I have indoor cats, so they cannot escape even if they wanted. There was that time I found about 30 feet of yarn tied into a sort of rope ladder hidden near the kitty litter box, but that may have been a gag gift they were getting me.
We had to put not one but 2 of our 4 cats down over the Thanksgiving holiday. These were the oldest of the 4 and they had long histories of medical issues, the luck of the draw when you rescue an animal from the shelter. They were Sam & Buffy named by my daughters who were expectedly upset by the decisions made to end their sufferings. They were brother and sister from the same litter and once one was gone the other just stopped eating possible at the loss of their lifelong partner.
Neither of them was terribly affectionate to me so they were not that large a part of my life in my mind, until they were gone.
I rarely noticed that they were constantly in my home office sitting beside me while I spoke for endless hours on the phone to customers, until I got up to go to another room and then I saw them watching me and following me. I never paid much attention them sitting on the couch while I was watching Fox news late at night until I got up and walked into the kitchen. Then you would swear I had a flute and was the Pied Piper the way the animals all swarmed me!
For 12 years I lived and worked with these 2 animals almost always within 10 feet of me. I took it for granted that I was never alone and always had someone I could comment to as I walked from room to room who was attentive and followed me through my daily activities. I never realized just how much company I had all the time until now.
Though I never felt the attachment to Sam or Buffy I feel with the other cats, they were always there, always with me and always willing to spend time with me whether I was paying attention to them or not.
I never thought I would miss them this much, but I do. I often catch myself looking to where they often sat in my office, wondering what happens to a spirit, soul or whatever the collective consciousness that we label life after the body ceases to exist.
So this holiday season, pay some special attention to your pets, they give all they can give to you and it is without strings attached. All they want in return is your love. Our lives are brighter, livelier and more full of love while they are in it so be good to them while they are around, as once gone you too will miss them.
MJR SNAFU