[Gpdd] Rainbow Bridge: Re: Corinne's piggies

[guineapigfilms at aol.com]

Well said, Julie! I thought your post to Corinne was just exactly right. 
You cast no blame, made no demands, just empathized.

Corinne, I have to say that, like Julie, I have been there, too. 

I have had some wonderful dogs who have died, and these deaths all caused a 
swelling of grief. But my last dog who died, a little Yorkie, caused the 
worst pain of all. His death was a horrible accident, and I felt partly to 
blame. (I also felt as if the vet was partly to blame, too, as his 
advice--which I followed--might have been to blame, too.)

I already told this story on the GPDD years ago, so I won't relate it 
again. I'm still very fragile, where this death is concerned, and will never get 
over it.

It has been over four years now since it happened, but I remember so 
clearly how hopeless and helpless I felt. I don't think I've ever felt worse.

I have two beautiful dogs now, and their love and time have helped a lot. I 
can even think of the lost dog with fondness now, and even humor, 
remembering his antics.

And, of course, I've felt horrible after the death of each guinea pig, each 
with their own special personality. (And I also have to admit that I've 
grown more attached to some of them than others.)

But I think it's the curse of all of us who are animal lovers. It's 
actually both a blessing and a curse. We love our animals so much and have more of 
an understanding of them than those who think of them as "just pets," and 
therefore, lesser beings. We communicate and relate on a much higher level, 
and that is the blessing part.

Of course, the curse is that, when these animals die (and all of them will, 
as their time on earth is so short, compared to most of ours), we feel a 
grief beyond words, much deeper than those who consider their animals to be 
"just pets." We have lost so much--a great deal more than those who haven't 
taken the time and care to truly understand their animals.

We have known a greater love--for that, we should be grateful.

But then, comes the tragedy. And the more we've loved, the greater the 
sense of loss, the greater the grief.

I actually feel a deeper pain when my animals die than when some humans 
die. (My animals are family members, and are closer to me than many of my 
family members.)

Does that mean we should stop loving these little ones?

I think not. 

For me, at least, the love I feel for my animals is worth the amount of 
pain I have to bear when they leave me.

And I do believe that one day I will be reunited with them. I have to 
believe that. 

How can such great a love ever die?

Love and WHEEEEEEEPS,

Nancy
http://www.carrotwars.com