Pets, especially dogs, provide unconditional and unrestricted love which a lot of us don’t acknowledge or somehow take for granted. They are special to those who love them and we miss them when they are no longer with us. We grieve for them, just as we grieve for our near and loved ones.
I was browsing through my laptop when I came across Jimmy’s snap. Jimmy was gifted to us by a family friend in Bhutan, on Betty’s first birthday. I still remember the first day… he was lying on the couch and had tears in his eyes. Betty and I concluded “Wo apne mummy ko miss kar raha hoga… isliye ro raha hai” We were sitting at the other end of the couch watching him in grief. I wanted to hug n caress him and tell him that… he is now a full-fledged family member – our playmate and faithful companion, but we had strict instructions from mummy… “abhi paas mat jaana, nahi to wo kaat lega and tumko fir stomach mei 32 injections lagenge”
When he was young, he'd run around the house in circles and hide behind our couch. The day he got too big to successfully perform this antic, he got stuck back there.
We shifted from Bhutan and took him along with us to Kerala. We thought he would not be able to survive the hot and humid climatic of our town as compared to the chilled climate in Bhutan. But he survived… he lived for 18Years.
Jimmy died of old age. When Pappa called me to inform about his death… I was inhibited in real grief. Even today when I think of him, sadness overpowers me. A lot of people are ridiculed by family and friends in general, for crying on such matters.
Today if someone asks me to get a pet for myself, I would say… “NO!!!” I don’t want a pet because they DIE before you do!!! It's understandable to be reluctant to expose yourself to death but, at the same time, we become immeasurably more human every time our pets die.
It's the fear of loosing my pet that overrides my wish to have one in the first place. Jimmy's death made me wrestle with the belief structure that we have on death. When grieving an animal or human… we question our beliefs, that why does one have to die? And we may find our belief, that death is inevitable, becoming stronger and stronger. But pets are never afraid of death … they show us that the end of life can be faced without fear. They teach us to accept death as an opening to love and compassion and to embrace death without apprehensions. Maybe because they don't know that it's death, the end of life. It's easier to say here that ignorance is Bliss.
It doesn't however discount the fact that we bring in humor, absurdity and life into our lives by bringing in pets!
I was browsing through my laptop when I came across Jimmy’s snap. Jimmy was gifted to us by a family friend in Bhutan, on Betty’s first birthday. I still remember the first day… he was lying on the couch and had tears in his eyes. Betty and I concluded “Wo apne mummy ko miss kar raha hoga… isliye ro raha hai” We were sitting at the other end of the couch watching him in grief. I wanted to hug n caress him and tell him that… he is now a full-fledged family member – our playmate and faithful companion, but we had strict instructions from mummy… “abhi paas mat jaana, nahi to wo kaat lega and tumko fir stomach mei 32 injections lagenge”
When he was young, he'd run around the house in circles and hide behind our couch. The day he got too big to successfully perform this antic, he got stuck back there.
We shifted from Bhutan and took him along with us to Kerala. We thought he would not be able to survive the hot and humid climatic of our town as compared to the chilled climate in Bhutan. But he survived… he lived for 18Years.
Jimmy died of old age. When Pappa called me to inform about his death… I was inhibited in real grief. Even today when I think of him, sadness overpowers me. A lot of people are ridiculed by family and friends in general, for crying on such matters.
Today if someone asks me to get a pet for myself, I would say… “NO!!!” I don’t want a pet because they DIE before you do!!! It's understandable to be reluctant to expose yourself to death but, at the same time, we become immeasurably more human every time our pets die.
It's the fear of loosing my pet that overrides my wish to have one in the first place. Jimmy's death made me wrestle with the belief structure that we have on death. When grieving an animal or human… we question our beliefs, that why does one have to die? And we may find our belief, that death is inevitable, becoming stronger and stronger. But pets are never afraid of death … they show us that the end of life can be faced without fear. They teach us to accept death as an opening to love and compassion and to embrace death without apprehensions. Maybe because they don't know that it's death, the end of life. It's easier to say here that ignorance is Bliss.
It doesn't however discount the fact that we bring in humor, absurdity and life into our lives by bringing in pets!
1 comment:
Nice One,
Well I had a dog in India, his name is Billu. I still remember the day he came to our house, all were happy as we have new baby at home.
When I use to come from office, he comes to my room and start licking my thigh or ankle. I can still remember the look in his eyes. That was one of the most loving view I have seen in my life.
He sometimes get sad and put his head on his front legs, same what we humans use to do. Sometimes he get so motivated that no one can stop him from running and jumping. Can you believe that he once jumped over 6 feet wall ??
My family says that I am a no feelings man, but when it comes to Billu, I become alive. Whatever I use to eat, I share with him ( He never do that with me hahahahha..)
He is an inspiration for me :)
Now I am in Norway and when ever I see some dog here it reminds me of my Billu. By the way his official name is "Ramlal", inspired from hindi film Hera Pheri :)
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