As a long time cat owner, it surprised me how attached I became to a small fuzzy dog with an obstinate personality. It surprised me how strongly attached I became to this canine.
In fact, the attachment is so strong, that even though he is healthy and happy, I worry about the day that he will no longer be with me.
Anna Quindlen writes a very short but very powerful book about the loss of Man’s Best Friend. Read in about two hours and crying at the end, this book addresses our attachment and anthromorphization of our family pets, and how hopeless we feel when they pass on. It was powerful enough for me to continue my negotiation with my dog’s original breeder for a puppy from his family line so that I never lose the taste of what I have grown to love so much.
After numerous dogs, Beau arrived in her life, much in the same way that Marley arrived in his best selling novel. A wild and crazy Labrador, Quindlen points out that when the tail stops wagging, that is when they will know it is time. And with amazing storytelling, Quindlen starts us by presenting the dilemma of the “when” and ends with the “now.” It is a sad tale but it reminds us of all the good things that happen while we live life, and how we share it with our animal friends.
Read it to remind yourself how much you love your pets. Then be sure to hug them all afterward to remind them how much you love them.
We'd Rather Read 