October 18, 2008
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When We Need Them
Quoted below is part of a great article written by Barbara Presnell about what pets mean to us:
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My Langston. I believe the animals we need come to us when we need them most. Thirteen and a half years ago, the year we moved to Lexington, I was not yet sure I liked this place when the gangly untamed black puppy bounded down our driveway one evening when I pulled in after work. I took to him immediately, but he was wearing a collar and, I reasoned, was too pretty not to be owned by somebody.
But despite our efforts, no one stepped up to claim him. We named him Langston, after Langston Hughes, the poet. He was my "dream deferred" - he was the dog I always wanted, I told my husband. He was the little black dog my mother made us give away 30 years ago, and he'd found me at last.
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When we brought him home from the vet's last Monday evening, we knew we were bringing him home for the last time. With very slow steps, he made his way to the back fence, curled himself underneath his favorite bush and lay down. All through the evening, every 30 minutes or so, I walked out and checked on him, rubbing his soft head, talking. He'd roll his brown eyes up, and then close them.
Around 11:30, when I opened the back door, there he stood. He'd mustered the energy to walk to the door one last time, where every night of his life I stepped out to tell him goodnight.
I know this is just another dog story, and my Langston was just another dog. But he was my dog, and it's my hand holding the leash that's now dangling.
Our animals come to us when we need them. They teach us unconditional love and selfless giving. They teach us joy, and laughter, patience and forgiveness.
They teach us all they can, and then, when we are ready, they let us go.
Comments (7)
My heart aches for you. I know exactly how much an animal can mean. They can mean THE WORLD! I'm so sorry. My heart goes out to you. Just know you now have an angel up above.
xo Amy
having just let wulfe go, i can't begin to tell you how empty the house is, how quiet and how lonely it feels not having him here. letting go was the hardest thing i've done as an adult. making the decision, saying goodbye, hoping it was the "right thing"... none of it was easy.
I had to drop off my dog at the Chicago ASPCA when we moved. Though we were only moving about 15 miles from our old house, we couldn't take him with us b/c our new house wasn't completed and we staying in someone else's place. After my brother and I left Cocoa, I drove a couple of blocks, then pulled over in downtown Chicago and cried.
@SkyCameFalling27 - just to clarify, my dog is alive and well. The author of the article is the one who lost her dog. Thanks for the kind comment though.
So very true... ... ... haven't had the heart to own a pet since my dog passed a decade ago.
But lately, I have this urge to have a "pet"... though more like "family"...
Difficulty being that I've nobody to take care of one while I'm out of the house--which is most of the time.
Oh, and I'll need to find a place that actually lets me have pets. 結構高いんだよねぇ～…
a heartwarming article filled with truth. i always thought pet owners were obsessed with their pets too much, until i got my cat. it's not an obsession, i now understand its a healthy bond between you and them. i do think our animals come to us for a reason and i am enjoying the moments as i can...
Pets truly are a part of the family. I lost my best kitties about 4 years ago and it still hurts. They were non-related sisters and died a week apart, both of mouth cancer. But, I tell myself that they are still together in a big field someplace with an endless supply of french fries and sashimi.
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