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For The Love Of Our Pets
Joey had loved his dog unreservedly. He'd walked it as a puppy, trained it and made best of friends with it. He named it Amore, meaning "love" in Italian, as it was a Cirneco Dell'Etna. Small and athletic these dogs are agile and clever and make great companions, as Joey found out. His dog had a shiny chestnut coat of short hair and boundless energy. Together they were invincible for five years until Joey's fifteenth birthday. On that day, exactly five years since he was gifted the little bundle of joy, Amore got run over.
Now you may think this is a tale of tragedy and heartbreak, and in some respects you'd be right. Anyone who has lost a pet will know the agony and pain missing your beloved friends will cause. But Joey was a teen now, perhaps more philosophical about these things, or maybe just faking he didn't care as much as he did. His parents sensed his change in mood, but they didn't pursue it. His friends heard what had happened so they cut him some slack, and allowed for his distancing himself. But the more he was left to get on with his own grieving, the more Joey felt annoyed. He blamed the driver, he berated himself for not being there, the Council for not imposing speed limits on the road outside his house. Sometimes we get angry when all we really feel is a deep sadness.
It is hard filling the void that another spirit has left in your life. The joy they brought you, the comfort they supplied. Sure, Joey had lots of friends and things to fill his time with, but it wasn't the same without his faithful pal. He missed the things most that he'd taken so much for granted, the funny antics and fooling around. Amore trying to sleep on his bed and not in his basket, the pleasure of hearing his little doggy dreams at night as he twitched and yipped softly chasing rabbits in some far off land. We can't plug that hole in life quite as easily as we believe, it sneaks up on us when we least expect it, especially in quiet times.
Nobody really approached him about Amore. He guessed they thought he'd just get over it, move past it and adapt. Life goes on. But it was a life he didn't relish as much and the loss started affecting him in little ways. Lack of sleep, sadness, becoming more withdrawn and...
Now you may think this is a tale of tragedy and heartbreak, and in some respects you'd be right. Anyone who has lost a pet will know the agony and pain missing your beloved friends will cause. But Joey was a teen now, perhaps more philosophical about these things, or maybe just faking he didn't care as much as he did. His parents sensed his change in mood, but they didn't pursue it. His friends heard what had happened so they cut him some slack, and allowed for his distancing himself. But the more he was left to get on with his own grieving, the more Joey felt annoyed. He blamed the driver, he berated himself for not being there, the Council for not imposing speed limits on the road outside his house. Sometimes we get angry when all we really feel is a deep sadness.
It is hard filling the void that another spirit has left in your life. The joy they brought you, the comfort they supplied. Sure, Joey had lots of friends and things to fill his time with, but it wasn't the same without his faithful pal. He missed the things most that he'd taken so much for granted, the funny antics and fooling around. Amore trying to sleep on his bed and not in his basket, the pleasure of hearing his little doggy dreams at night as he twitched and yipped softly chasing rabbits in some far off land. We can't plug that hole in life quite as easily as we believe, it sneaks up on us when we least expect it, especially in quiet times.
Nobody really approached him about Amore. He guessed they thought he'd just get over it, move past it and adapt. Life goes on. But it was a life he didn't relish as much and the loss started affecting him in little ways. Lack of sleep, sadness, becoming more withdrawn and...
