Photo courtesy of Venusienne from FlickerHandkerchiefs are associated with sorrow and pain, which I see a lot of in the Animal Doctor's world. Some go into fits of bawling and sobbing ( this is me) while others can handle their grief silently like this old woman who listened intently, tears rolling down her cheeks, as the Animal Doctor explained how he and the other vets had tried to revive her dog. Her husband was beside her, rubbing her shoulders while his other hand clutched at a rosary.
I also remember this guy whose Labrador suffered from heatstroke on the day of his wedding. Before leaving for his honeymoon abroad, he went to the clinic, sat by his dog's crib and murmured to it for several minutes. He tied a handkerchief around its paw, hoping that the dog would still be able to smell his scent on it and come out of coma. But the dog never made it.
I remember these images very well, perhaps because no words can accurately describe the bond between a human and his pet, and unless another person has tried it, no one would probably understand how loving an animal can be both so incredibly beautiful and painfully sad.
-need a tissue now -
ReplyDeleteYou are very right, words can't accurately describe the bond between a human and his pet... and people that don't love dogs(or pets) have no idea of the love that they are missing out on.
Kisses
Addie
I really admire you.
ReplyDeleteSeeing an animal who is in pain makes me cry. I can't resist it.
You could write a book with all your experiences.
Have a good night
Lorenza's mom.
our hearts break upon reading this. indeed, the bond between humans and their dog is priceless and beautiful and to open one's self to the possibility of loving such fragile creatures entails a lot os strength- mentally and emotionally.
ReplyDeleteI could just imagine the number of handkerchiefs that were soiled in your entire life with the Animal Doctor. I don't know if i have the strength to endure those. my eye bags would have broken down from the weight of all those tears.
In the end, we can only feel sorry for the owners who have lost their beloved pets in the same manner that they too would feel sorry for us when we lost ours.
I think the only consolation in all these is the fact that we know there are people out there would care and love as much as we do. people who do not judge the act of a human crying over "only" an animal and instead feel pure pain and grief for our losses.
after all has been said, i still can't help crying. maybe because this reminds me of something that is painfully sad yet true. i continue to cry the tears in grief for the old woman, the husband on his way to his honeymoon, to the Secretary, to the other brave individuals who opened there life to other animals and to myself.
yes, we love, we get bitten, we bawl in grief for the loss of such beautiful lives, yet we can never bring ourselves to forget the many wonderful things that we do together with our animal friends and more importantly, life's many lessons which they taught us.
-aki's manang
Your office's patients are lucky to have such a caring and understanding person there to help them with their grief. I think having experienced this grief yourself makes you more compassionate and able to help others.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the bond between humans and animals is very special, and that they are like angels here to teach us about love. I just wish more people would understand that and treat animals with more dignity and kindness.
I'm glad that the woman's husband was understanding about her grief. Hopefully the two of them can help each other through their sorrow.
T-man's mom, CC-man and T-man Angel
Very true words.
ReplyDeleteThey are such strong bonds we have with our pets. Which is fantastic but so terribly sad when it is their time to leave us.
perhaps because no words can accurately describe the bond between a human and his pet, and unless another person has tried it, no one would probably understand how loving an animal can be both so incredibly beautiful and painfully sad.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. very beautifully perfectly and painfully said