Thinking out Loud
Man's Best Friend

August 5, 2012
By: Diane Szczepanski

"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace."
Milan Kundera

My brother and sister-in-law lost a good friend today.

Tess, at the advanced age of 13, left this earth to romp in sunny fields forever.

Having lost an old friend a few years ago, I know what they're feeling. Sadness, loss and despite knowing the day would someday come, disbelief.

Pets have a way of sneaking into our hearts, sometimes without us even realizing how much they have woven themselves into our daily lives. It took me several weeks before I quit looking for my big dog's 'smiling' face at the back door when I came home.

I think pets make us more human, especially on days when we're not feeling so human. They love us when we're happy and they comfort us when we're sad.

They integrate themselves into the structure of a family unit, should it be one or ten. They warm our feet, protect our homes and make us laugh.

They get us off the couch and into the outdoors for fresh air, when we might not feel like going otherwise.

Pets are truly a family member and when they leave us, the sadness in our heart is not frivolous, it's REAL. Their loss should not be minimized because they are just an animal, the contribution they have in our lives is huge.

So, when my family members had to say good-bye to their family member, it hurt my heart a little too.

To all who have lost a beloved pet, I feel your pain.

RIP Tess.