Coming
home from a hard day’s work is always an amazing feeling, but being greeted at
the door by unconditional love… ahhh, bliss! In places like Goa, there are
plenty of homes with pets, be they dogs, cats, white mice, squirrels and countless
other adorable creatures. If you have ever been privileged enough to have had
the love of a dog in your lifetime, you will know the sentiment that goes along
with that four legged love.
This
piece is very close to my heart as I had a 14-year-long relationship with a
beauty so genuinely caring and warm that saying goodbye was literally one of
the hardest things I could do. The average lifespan of a dog is said to be
around 10 years but we had the honour of having our little golden cocker
spaniel around for four extra years. She was an entity on her own who lived
life on her terms. She knew what she wanted and exactly how to get it. She was
a pure hearted gentle soul and a sheer joker when she needed to be. The mention
of a bath had her bolt out of the room faster than a speeding bullet. The sound
of crackers had her run a mile and snuggle so close that one could feel the
very beat of her heart. Tiny as she was, she would stand strong in front of any
dog that chose to show his/her bravado and the sight of anything that elicited
a scream from my mouth, like a frog, a cockroach or a creepy crawly of any sort
would have her scurry forth and take her position as my knight in shining
armour. She was the perfect example of a man’s best friend and oh what a friend
she was. There were times when we were ill and she would be right there as a
pillar of support and love, a medicine that no doctor could prescribe but just
as effective.
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A
pet is a completion of a family unit, the missing link that can keep us
grounded. Of course, it is a huge responsibility. Besides providing the basic
necessities, we should also be willing, able and ready to shower our pets with
attention, exercise and love. Before venturing out to get ourselves a pet, we
need to ask ourselves if we are capable of looking after one and more
importantly if we deserve to be their whole and soul entity for the lifespan
they have been given.
As
humans, we, at times, feel that our relationships with other human beings are
the only ones with real meaning. People who believe that have clearly not loved
and been loved by a dog. They love with every fibre of their being. Anyone who
has lost his/her temper with a dog can bear testament to the fact that a moment
is all it takes for your little sweetheart to forgive and forget and let
bygones be bygones. The love of a pet is unlike any other, it is pure and
unconditional. For those who have never felt it, open your heart and feel the
joy, for all those who have been privileged enough… count yourself lucky for
having loved and been loved in return.
