My Comfort

I am tired of being tired.  There are days that I don't want to get out of bed, never mind do anything productive or meaningful.  There are days that I am in so much pain that it hurts to touch my hair.  But I have discovered something that brings me great comfort on those days and on everyday.

Being a pet owner. 

I've had pets my whole life, and I've enjoyed them.  But, if you knew my cat Sam, you know he wasn't always the lovey dovey kind of cat.  In fact for many years I was convinced that he enjoyed tormenting me, chasing after me and swatting at my night gown.  I had scars for a long time from that cat.  But he was awesome, with only three legs and no tail.

I also enjoyed the lives of Jake, Butch, and Bun-Bun.  These three lived out in our backyard, and I had a lot of anxiety about feeding them because they seemed so very close to the woods, and at night, I was afraid of being attacked by something.  Now I wish I would have spent more time with them.  But they did give me a small taste of responsibility, without actually solely relying on me for their every need.

I did not realize the joy of actual pet ownership, where a being relies on you for their needs and wants.  You must live up to these needs, but the rewards are great in return.  I get to have a soft, warm, furry thing at my feet whenever I am in bed.  He likes to curl up on my chest when I'm awake and get as close to me as possible at all times.  He knows I like his attention, he proves this by talking to me and walking on me while I am asleep.  I don't know what Popeye's life was before he came to our apartment, but much of it was spent in a cage at a cat shelter.  Since coming here, he has lived the good life, complete with cat nip toys and pettings.

From The Kids

Comforting is probably not the first thing you would think of when you see Scarlet for the first time.  She has lived with us for about a year and a half, and we have enjoyed every minute of it.  She has grown a lot in the time she has lived here, and it is so neat to see her grow, shed, and then grow some more.  I also enjoy watching her learn what new places she can climb to in her tank as she gets longer.  When she first came home, she could barely climb half way up the wall, and now she can do so much more than that.  I'm not suggesting that everyone should run out and get a snake, but there are joys in owning even some of the more obscure pets.  

From The Kids

So I try to remember on my good days to treat my pets with lots of love and gratitude for getting me through my not so good days.