Sweet Pain

Sweet Pain

I’ve always had a love for dogs. When I was a kid I would always pester my Dad for a dog. Dad loved dogs too. In fact, Pop loved all animals.

We also loved to hunt, Dad and I. My dad taught me to respect all life and to never take another life lightly. That meant that you eat what you kill, fish or fowl or furry critter, with the exception of killing varmints that were damaging your other animals or property.

I learned early on that my pets had a shorter life expectancy than me. I don’t care who you are, that’s a tough truth to deal with as a youngster and even as an adult.

It doesn’t matter how much you love your critter, that will not make them live any longer than what they are supposed to live. That’s a tough reality.

I describe the realization that you will have to deal with the death of your loved pet as a Sweet Pain. The sweetness comes from the unconditional love that you receive from your critter and the love that you deal back to your buddy. We all know where the pain comes from.

But you know what? It’s worth it.

All you have to know is that it’s not your fault that your buddy passes on; they were going to go anyway. You also have to know that when your buddy is/was with you that they lived a privileged life; that you loved them and made their existence on this world a good one. You can be proud of that and happy that you were able to make your friend happy when he/she was with you. That is a GOOD thing. It is a SWEET PAIN.

I know that it hurts to put your friend out of his misery when the time comes. You must know that it is an act of love; nothing else. Do not second-guess yourself as to whether you did it too soon; in your heart you must know that it was the right time. You know that it was time, so do not beat yourself up over the inevitable. You had the courage to do what was right; never denigrate yourself over doing the humane thing for your loved ones, whether human or critter.

You love; therefore you hurt. The greater the love; the greater the hurt. What better testament can there be?

I may be naïve, but I also believe that if there is a final reward after this life we live, and I do, that our critter buddies will be there to greet and guide us into that life. In my heart I feel this.

I guess my message to you is this: don’t let the fear of loss keep you from taking another critter buddy into your home, arms and bed. It is a sweet pain that gives more than it takes.

My Dad taught me this and I believe it. You should too.


Copyright 2006 by Charles Emery
Bunkiedog Press: http://bunkiestory.blogspot.com/

So true. All of my pets have given me unconditional love which is more than we get from some humans.

Amen.

I feel sorry for those who don't want to get another pet ,after a loss ,because of the pain of losing another . To me the joy way outweighs the loss.

I do too. I once had a minister and his wife ask me how I can deal with the death of so many animals all of the time...I thought it was odd that a religious man of all people would not understand about love...to this day, people always tell me how they couldn't deal with senior dogs and their inevitible death, but I always feel like my grief at each passing simply serves as proof that I loved them and my goal for all of these dogs is for them to know love and feel cherished during their final time here. It hurts like heck, but the thought of never having them in my life at all hurts even more...I can never see a little thing like death keeping me from loving...it helps that I believe that I will eventually be reunited with all of the little ones that I have had the opportunity to know...ironically, the minister that I referred to even preached my Grandmother's funeral and did a fine job, just confused me that he didn't seem to understand what he had been talking about...I can't ever see myself without animals in my life.

I think we are all in agreement

i agree with somme of it but it was not a sweet pain ok i loved my animals and wathing them die is NOT NOT NOT NOT SWEET THAT THEY ARE INPAIN i miss them
!!!

That was very nicely said. I totally agree. Although pain is part of love I would never hesitate to love again.

The pain is ours .... not theirs . The sweet pain is letting them go ..... it's peace and easy passing for them .... it's sorrow and pain for us . I know that many of you here have never had to go through this . For those of mine that were already under because of an exploration operation ..... I let them go without me being there . The ones I've taken in and held .... it was a special sweet pain . Never be afraid to get another pet because of YOUR pain ! Otherwise , I would have only had 1 Golden ............not 12 .

Geez, someone brought this thread back from oblivion. I wrote it for a friend of mine that had to send his buddie off .