The Journey

I just found this on a forum about someone who just lost her kitty Having animals companions has been a big part of my life since I was born. It is so difficult to lose a beloved companion.

I think this would be good fro non pet owners to read too.

Ann



The Journey

When you bring a pet into your life, you begin a journey. A journey that will bring you more love and devotion than you have ever known, yet will also test your strength and courage. If you allow, the journey will teach you many things, about life, about yourself, and most of all, about love. You will come away changed forever, for one soul cannot touch another without leaving its mark.

Along the way, you will learn much about savoring life's simple pleasures -- jumping in leaves, snoozing in the sun, the joys of puddles, and even the satisfaction of a good scratch behind the ears or on the belly. If you spend much time outside, you will be taught how to truly experience every element, for no rock, leaf, or log will go unexamined, no rustling bush will be overlooked, and even the very air will be inhaled, pondered, and noted as being full of valuable information.

Your pace may be slower, except when heading home to the food dish, but you will become a better naturalist, having been taught by an expert in the field. Too many times we hike on automatic pilot, our goal being to complete the trail rather than enjoy the journey. We miss the details; the colorful mushrooms on the rotting log, the honeycomb in the old maple snag, the hawk feather caught on a twig.

Once we walk as a dog does, we discover a whole new world. We stop; we browse the landscape, we kick over leaves, peek in tree holes, look up, down, all around. And we learn what any dog knows that nature has created a marvelously complex world that is full of surprises, that each cycle of the seasons bring ever changing wonders, each day an essence all its own, each day a gift from God.

Even from indoors you will find yourself more attuned to the world around you. You will find yourself watching: summer insects collecting on a screen; how bizarre they are; how many kinds there are or noting the flick and flash of fireflies through the dark. You will stop to observe the swirling dance of windblown leaves, or sniff the air after a rain. It does not matter that there is no objective in this; the point is in the doing, in not letting life's most important details slip by.

You will find yourself doing silly things that your pet-less friends might not understand: spending thirty minutes in the grocery aisle looking for the cat food brand your feline must have, buying dog birthday treats, or driving around the block an extra time because your pet enjoys the ride. You will roll in the snow, wrestle with chewie toys, bounce little rubber balls till your eyes cross and even run around the house trailing your bathrobe tie with a cat in hot pursuit, all in the name of love.

Your house will become muddier and hairier. You will wear less dark clothing and buy more lint rollers. You may find dog biscuits in your pocket or purse, and feel the need to explain that an old plastic shopping bag adorns your living room rug because your cat loves the crinkly sound. You will learn the true measure of love. The steadfast, undying kind that says,''It doesn't matter where we are or what we do, or how life treats us as long as we are together''

Respect this always. It is the most precious gift any living soul can give another. You will not find it often among the human race. And you will learn humility. The look in my dog's eyes often made me feel ashamed. Such joy and love at my presence. She saw not some flawed human who could be cross and stubborn, moody or rude, but only her wonderful companion. Or maybe she saw those things and dismissed them as mere human foibles, not worth considering, and so chose to love me anyway.

If you pay attention and learn well, when the journey is done, you will be not just a better person, but the person your pet always knew you to be. The one they were proud to call beloved friend.

I must caution you that this journey is not without pain. Like all paths of true love, the pain is part of loving. For as surely as the sun sets, one day your dear animal companion will follow a trail you cannot yet go down. And you will have to find the strength and love to let them go. A pet's time on earth is far too short, especially for those that love them. We borrow them, really, just for a while, and during these brief years they are generous enough to give us all their love every inch of their spirit and heart, until one day there is nothing left. The cat that only yesterday was a kitten is all too soon old and frail and sleeping in the sun. The young pup of boundless energy now wakes up stiff and lame, the muzzle gone to gray.

Deep down we somehow always knew that this journey would end. We knew that if we gave our hearts they would be broken. But give them we must for it is all they ask in return. When the time comes, and the road curves ahead to a place we cannot see, we give one final gift and let them run on ahead, young and whole once more. ''God speed, good friend,'' we say, until our journey comes full circle and our paths cross again.

And bless their souls for sharing their lives with us...and adding so much to our very existence.

Author Unknown

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Thanks,

Ann

Happy International Happiness Day!

I'll be helping out at the evening event. Stop by and say Hi and learn how to stay happy even when bad things happen.

July 10th - International Happiness Day!!!

The countdown has BEGUN!!! International Happiness Day is only THREE days away!

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If you happen to be in the San Francisco, Bay Area next week, then we encourage you to come and learn about International Happiness Day and most importantly, how you can be happy regardless of life's downfalls!! All of the information is below:


SECOND INTERNATIONAL HAPPINESS DAY!
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SAN FRANCISCO, CA
JULY 10TH, 2009


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If you want to participate in helping to create PEACE ON EARTH then join us on July 10th, making others happy using the NEW science of happiness!

In San Francisco, we will be holding an information celebration increasing the awareness of the NEW
HAPPINESS SCIENCE and the NEW AMERICAN HAPPINESS ASSOCIATION.

The way to a happy more peaceful world is through the peace created in each one of us, on July 10th, learn how you can create happiness and peace in your life and your loved ones.

These celebrations will be like a turnstyle where you come in and learn the tricks then leave and
SPREAD HAPPINESS THE REST OF THE DAY!

Super Cute

A friend sent me this link. It's really sweet and amazing too.

www.youtube.com/watch

Jesse Cat's Walk in the Rain Today

I just got back from taking Jesse the cat for a walk in the rain. This is the second time he has walked in the rain. Amazingly, the rain does not seem to bother him very much.

Both times it has been drizzling when we left and then the rain got heavier. He does not like the heavier rain but he still walks. When he knows we are getting close to home he walks faster. I like it when he walks faster. Sometimes he just putters along and is just being a cat. I can get a little frustrated with him at those times and I usually take him home.

The first walk in the rain he walked all around the block. When he knew we were close to home he took off in a run until he reached the end of the retractable leash. I ended up running after him.

He even walks in the mud and little puddles and he is very wet with muddy feet when we get home.

I often pick him up when we walk but not when he has dirty feel like that. I have two coats that have mud from Jesse's feet on them.

When we get home I wrap him in a towel and dry him off. He purrs, even when I dry his feet.

I want to get him a raincoat but most of them are too big around and not long enough. He has a a very long thin body. A coat for a dachshund would be good.

I think he might even wear it as long as the armholes are tight to his body. I put something on him and when he walked his front legs came out of the armholes.

The photo is not of Jesse, just a cat on a leash.

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Fling-ama-String

I got the kitties a new cat toy and they love it. They sit around it and take turns, it's very cute. A string comes out the bottom and then it goes back in and around again. Sunny is so quick and strong that he pulls the whole door when he has the string in his mouth.

Fling-ama-String Cat Toy

The battery operated, lean, mean string-flinging machine that cats love. No assembly required simply hang it on the door and turn it on. Works on any standard doorknob. The Fling-ama-String has two speeds for maximum kitty fun. This toy entices even the laziest of cats to play and improves eye-paw coordination.

Screeeeeech.....

I'm in the house on the telephone and a friend is outside in front when I hear a loud noise. I thought it was the cats being destructo units again when my friend comes in and says that someone hit the recycling cans and took out the small tree in front and that she was almost hit too. Luckily she was not but she had just been where the cans were a few moments earlier. I'm so happy that she was not hit, that would have been terrible.

I saw the rear end of the car and I was going to call the police when my friend said it was my next door neighbor who had done it. She is elderly and her husband does not drive anymore. They have a few kids who are often in the house helping. Maybe she hit the wrong petal or something. There are skid marks. She came back and I asked her if she was ok. She said she was but I'm not sure. She was very calm or she seemed to be. She was not very apologetic about taking out the tree, she just said to call the city but maybe she was in shock.

I'm sorry that the tree is gone but much better the tree than my friend or my car or the neighbor hitting the telephone pole. The tree was small and it came out in one piece but without it's roots. I have to call the city and see what I can replace it with. Maybe they will take away the old tree. I'm not sure that recycling will pick it up. It's leaning against the big green can of leaves and food.

Oh well, one tree down, it could have been much worse.

Happy New Year!

I hope you all have a wonderful 2009 filled with gratitude, happiness, love and joy!

Ann