The Loss OF A Pet
Posted to my dear friend Zoe:
My dear friend,
my heart breaks at your recent loss.
Love of thy fellow man is at best a bargain with something gained at a realized or unrealized cost. When you give your heart to one, it may often be something else they seek in return. There are few relationships in life as pure, as honest, as giving, as the love between a human and an animal they choose to provide for, care for, and love.
We did not choose our parents,
We did not choose our siblings,
It can be argued that we often do not consciously choose our mates,
You eyes and nose have far more to do with who you lust for than your heart or mind.
Even Socrates wrote "reason is ruled by passion", as what the body wants the mind often has to suffer with.
Proof is this is the dysfunctional relationship we often find ourselves in.
There are 2 times in our lives when the choice is really up to us on a conscious level;
Whom we choose to call friends,
Whom we choose to call pets.
Friends come and go into and from our lives; some contributing to our maturation, fun, and happiness throughout our lives, others leaving heartbreak and chaos everywhere they go.
Unconditional love, companionship with no strings attached we can only get from our pets. In many ways we can only be fully honest with our pets, they see us when we are not trying to impress others, not trying to attract the other sex, not trying to be competitive.
We can sit around the house in our underwear or naked, stuffing our faces with food and their only desire is to be with us. We can gain 200 pounds, lose our hair, not bathe for a month, have all our teeth fall out and they will still come running to greet us at the door.
The fact that some grieve so, at the loss of their pets highlights the degree of love, devotion and love they invested into that relationship. More than most relationships with other Humans, as pets are more like children depending on us for their basic needs, support and their very lives, so strong a bond leaves a mark on our heart long after the miracle of life is gone from our loved friend and companion.
The reason we grieve, the reason we suffer and miss them so when they are gone, is we have lost true unconditional love in our lives.
Looking at it another way,
When they are gone, if we have properly paid them back for love by providing them with the best life's possible, then we have nothing to grieve, for we have completed a transaction of love and fulfilled our obligations as responsible and loving owners. We gave them the best lives we could and for that they paid us with everything the could offer, happiness, fun, companionship, respect, and unconditional love like no Human could ever offer us.
I wear the label pet owner with pride and respect for those I share that relationship with. I both respect, and admire, others who are able to offer of themselves, in this type of relationship, with a fellow creature.
Which is just another reason I love you Zoe.