That was very well written, and i couldn't have done a better job, you
speak for many of us.
 
Remember there is a scripture in the bible that says "AND THE LION SHALL
LAY DOWN WITH THE LAMB?"
 
I myself have had rats, hamsters, small rodents, and Cassieopea will be
with us forever, she will be the one rat that is cremated, for she was a
wonderful girl and sadly missed.  Cassie is the only rat in this house
that had limited free roam, after a while her cage top was never closed,
she would be at the top in the morning to greet Dan and I when we got up
to deliver our papers, she taught us to keep clothing away from her cage,
for she chewed a hole in a pocket on his work jacket :-) , but she never
left the confines nor the top of her cage, for she once did have a run in
with a ferret.  Cassie developed tumors that eventually lead to her
death, but she is forever in our hearts, and sadly missed, along with the
ferrets we have lost and my prescious HAMM, hamster.  .  .she taught me
never to startle her, she only bit me once, and those razor sharp teeth ,
left a lasting impression on me.
 
I will be 51 in October, have a 23 year old daughter, and have lost
children ( my son) over 30 years ago, whom i still think of, Joshua was
born in 1972 and died when he was 10 months old.  I like to think he has
the companionship of all my beloved little creatures, to spend his life
with now, since he was alone for so long.  The thoughts and promise of
the Rainbow Bridge, helped strengthen me, when Eppy was missing, if i
hadn't had that to hang onto, then what, would i have given up looking
for him and never found him ever?  It was the spiritual support of many
on the FML, that also helped me, through that ordeal, and i am forever
grateful.  I was severely depressed at that time, and many people don't
survive them.  Sorta like the proverbial knot that we tie into our ropes
when we just feel like giving up, they are little support stakes when we
feel like life is not worth living sometimes, that no one cares about us?
Since we cannot all live in the same area, work at the same places, the
FML is a support system (one of those little stakes in the garden of our
lives).  I am glad that i was welcomed into this family.
 
Sincerely
Donna Christen
[Posted in FML issue 3905]