Pet loss

[lupinesque]

Mercia, thanks for sharing.  All of us who have let an animal into 
our heart know that those anniversaries are important.  My childhood 
cat died 24 years ago, and I still remember her on the day she was 
born and the day she died.

This really spoke to me, as my dh and I adopted the cat we have (that 
is, who has us) when she was eleven, so we knew we were letting 
ourselves in for sorrow:
 
> We've sorrow enough in the natural way
> When it comes to burying Christian clay;
> And when we are certain of sorrow in store
> Why do we always arrange for more?

I live in dread of the day she dies, but we have had five happy years 
together since that day, and the answer to Kipling's question is 
obvious to all three of us <g>:  animals can bring so much joy and 
love into our lives that it is worth all the pain of losing them.

Hugs,
Amy Z