The Problem with Pets . . .

I'm sitting at my computer (eyes swollen from crying) thinking back to the days when I was a child living at home. I can remember the pets I owned while growing up.
The first pet we had was Cuddles. Cuddles was a mixed-breed small dog who was very intelligent. You could not keep her contained because her climbing skills were better than most kids. Her only problem was that she was terrified of thunderstorms and would run away if we didn't close her in the house. I remember the last time she ran away. Mom said that we'd have NO more pets.

Our next dog was a Boston Terrier named Heidi. She quickly worked her way into mom's heart and became part of the family. It was a sad, sad day around the Larpenter house when Heidi had to be put to sleep due to serious health issues. Mom said that we'd have NO more pets.

Yo Yo was a bundle of hair when dad came walking into the house with her in his arms. I remember the look on mom's face, but as with Heidi, Mom soon had a best friend. Yo Yo, a silver miniature poodle, was the best pet we ever had. It was as if she understood what we said and felt our emotions. She knew when I was leaving for college and would not let me out of her sight, only to grieve for days when I left. When her life ended, Mom said that we'd have NO more pets.

As a child I could not understand why Mom could turn down a perfectly good dog. I thought that it was quite selfish of her not to want us to be happy. Now, as a mother, I understand Mom's words.

Little Girl, our cat of almost 18 years, is near death. Unless a miracle takes place before tomorrow, we'll have to have her put down. At her age, not much can be done for her, and I don't want her to suffer.

As I sit here, wiping tears away from my eyes, I now understand my Mom's words. She knew the pain involved in losing a pet. She knew the little kids who would grieve for the furry, four-legged friend who they'd shared their problems with and who were loved in return with a deep, unconditional love.

But, I also know that those who refuse to love because of the fear of loss and hurt, forfeit the joy of being unconditionally loved and accepted.

Sure it hurts!! Yes, we'll all cry. I'll cry even more when my two girls cry. Tomorrow will be a very hard day. My girls will say goodbye to their first pet. But . . . we'll look at video and photos and remember the joy that our pet brought us. In time, we'll open our hearts and home to another furry friend and go through the process all over again. Is it worth it? Yes, love is always worth it.