Our family suffered another lost last week when our cat,
Scamp, suddenly was diagnosed with a rapid form of cancer and we had to “let
him go.”
It was the second pet death in our family in a month after
our elderly dog died in early October — also from cancer.
The hole in my heart cannot be overstated, because these
were my four-legged children who gave unconditional love to us for so little in
return — but I am known for my soft-heartedness for critters.
It is difficult and painful to move past, but I must and I
shall. It is frustrating because I want to properly feel sorry for myself for a
week or two, but I have a 10-month-old and it isn’t about me anymore. But when
I feel a twinge of sadness because I can’t mourn my pets properly, I realize
what a blessing the whirlwind of motherhood can be.
I have a great reason to be distracted from my sadness and
I’m laughing and playing with the cutest baby this side of the Mississippi. As
he tries to hug our surviving German shepherd and crawls after the two
surviving cats down the hall, I am thankful I can teach him how to embrace our
furry friends.
It is my firm belief that exposing children to the joys of
animals helps them learn the invaluable skills of empathy, sharing,
consideration, gentleness, friendship, and — most importantly — love.
It is with those sentiments that I find myself thankful that
our elderly and sick pets have passed away before the baby understands that
they’re gone. It’s a concept I know I will have to explain one day, but not yet.
Hopefully, we will not experience another loss for a very
long time, and the baby can forge lasting friendships with the three remaining
pets. And as I sit on the floor watching my little one attempt to throw a ball
for the dog, my heart melts. He squeals with delight when the dog brings the
toy back and drops it at his pajama feet.
It’s exactly what I wanted for him.
— Sarah Leach is assistant managing editor at The Holland
Sentinel. Contact her at (616) 546-4278 or at sarah.leach@hollandsentinel.com.
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