P is for Pets

I blog about my pets often. I know I'm biased, but I think they're pretty extraordinary creatures. When I think back over my life, I can only come up with about 11 months total that I've been without a pet. Even when I lived in college housing I had a parakeet. I was raised with cats and consider myself a "cat lady". I never imagined I'd own one dog, let alone two. They came into my life seven years apart, with no dogs in between, and there is a long interesting story as to how each came to claim me as his person. I truly believe that pets find us and not the other way around. I also believe that each of them have something to give, to bring to our lives, to teach us. My oldest dog has been an incredible companion to me, and has been with me through the most difficult years of my life. I was able to live on my own, which was something I really needed to do, because in him I always had company. My younger dog has taught me patience and compassion in a way I'd never experienced before. There have been countless cats in my life and they remind me to go with the flow and to take care of myself. My youngest cat was a hand raised baby and he is different than any cat I've ever had. I have a large tank full of goldfish that often inspires me to sit and do nothing but watch them, to decompress.

They all remind me constantly what unconditional love is and how important it is to spend time with those who matter most. Through all these amazing animals, I've come to embrace my role in the universe as a caretaker to them and to all the others who will come after them.
This is my lot, to have pet hair on everything I own, nose smears on my car windows and dog treats in my coat pockets.