Everyone dreads the day when we have to say goodbye to the ones we love. Whether it be human family or family animal, the sorrow is much the same. It is as natural and necessary to grieve for the loss of a pet as it is for any loved one that dies. And it is important to have compassion and support in one's time of grief.
My daughter Laurie is a professional ferrier, (shoes horses). It is rumored she is quite good at her profession. I am very proud of her because she has great compassion for animals and people that love animals. She has suffered the loss of many a loved animal. Therefore when she says she has "been there and done that," believe it. She went this week to Manila to shoe five horses. She had finished No. 4 and went to the next shoeing. The man she was to visit is 86 years young. She has visited him many times in the past, to shoe his horse. When she arrived at his home he went out to meet her, it was obvious he was distressed. He said his horse, 30 years old, had died and he just didn't have the courage to call her before hand. She sat with him for a spell as he thanked her for advice she had given to him regarding the proper care of his horse during their friendship. He had raised him from a young colt and they had many wonderful years together. He felt he was blessed with enjoying his horse more years because of her. She saw a tear in his eye and knew he was trying not to cry. As she went to leave, she said if he wanted another horse she would find what he wanted. He shook his head, he felt his horse could never be replaced. In time, he may change his mind, many of us do. And she will make good her promise!
A recent letter to "Voices" in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette from a lady in Parthenon, in excerpt, writes, "I just found out that an ex-neighbor's four beautiful, intelligent and loving horses apparently starved to death. Can you imagine how long and miserable the suffering was before they finally died? There is no reason for it to have happened." It seems a neighbor made an attempt to intervene and was cursed and threatened. I don't know why people get animals and refuse to care for them. That is a question I am often asked. I can't explain why humans can be so evil, but we see it frequently. This lady admits she had to move so she would not be a witness to the slow decline of the animals. She quotes Voltaire: "Every man is guilty of all the good things he didn't do." Amen to that. These stories demonstrate one extreme to another but it is reality. Almost makes you ashamed of humans.
As Jazz would say: "Each of us should look at not only to our own interests but also to the interests of others."
Thought for this day: Love is the highest and noblest act that any one person can do.