People who have never had a “connection” with an animal…. well….. have never had a connection with an animal.   I can’t fault them for it.  They just don’t “see it” or “have it”.

But it really bothers me when I hear someone say… “Oh, it is just a dog.” or “Who cares? It is just a cat.”

There…. they seem to be barking up the wrong tree.
Those types of statements would never come from a person who has been lucky enough to figure a way past  the human/animal barriers.  We all have the potential to make connections with all beings, I think.  It is just a matter if it is important to you, or if you put energy into those types of interactions.

Folks will relay stories about their good friends with fur coatings.  I can’t tell you the number of people who have cried as they talked about a “pet” who has died.   You see….. they have lost a member of their family… a part of them has been displaced …. a piece of their lives is gone.  And an emptiness exists… where there once was companionship, joy, and love.

Tonight I talked with a friend.  She has a dog…. who happens to be the youngest son of one of my dogs.  Yep.  One of Frances’ boys.  She talked about him with fondness.  She also shared a story about their other dog who had recently passed.  She had tears in her eyes as she spoke.  She gets the connection.

Lucky her.
Lucky me too.

“A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same.” – Elbert Hubbard