Gordykins
Experienced Member
This has got to be my favorite "Best of Craigslist" ad. http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/tal/2265648301.html
But... what it makes me realize about myself, is that I am far less tolerant of people than I am of animals. Luckily, my boyfriend, while not as into animal related things as I am (ie... he thinks the things I do with Gordy are fantastic, but it isn't something he would have thought to seek out himself... he is very actively into fostering dogs with me, but again, not something he would do if he weren't living with me, he finds it interesting to spend a day at the aquarium, but wouldn't go out of his way to donate money to marine life research),but he is very compassionate towards animals. He has a lot of patience, and a lot of forgiveness for animals... although, like me, not as much patience for people, and neither of us find it all that easy to forgive people. He really sees them as living, breathing, thinking, feeling creatures... and that's something that is really important to me. I don't have to ever defend the animals who live here, because he gets it.
With other people, I'm pretty blunt... and if they don't appreciate my dog, or that when I have free time, I like to spend it in dog friendly places (i.e. if a friend wants to go out for lunch... I'll suggest a picnic lunch at a park so I can bring Gordy... or if a friend wants to hang out, but isn't okay with Gordy coming over, then I'll ask that she come to my house instead) because life's too short... I refuse to leave Gordy alone for the hours of the week that I work, and then turn around and constantly leave him in my free time too. Not only is Gory 100% deserving of my time, but I WANT to spend time with him as often as I possibly can. I don't have patience for people saying "he's just a dog" he's MY dog. My dog is never "just a dog." He's more valuable than "just a dog" to me.
Now that I've spent a little more time on this forum, I've seen homes where all of the people in the house don't have the same compassion, or devotion to animals. It's kind of struck a curiosity with me... when you have such a strong passion for something, how do you make it work with those people who live with you who not only don't share that passion... but who at times even seem to belittle that? I know I'd have a really hard time with it... so how do you keep from wanting to rehome the people in your life who think you should rehome your pets??
I'm thinking that my boyfriend, and my family... who is very welcoming of Gordy's visits when we go out of town to visit them... and who are happy to come to my house and visit with Gordy without making us change the way we do things at all... are deserving of a very big thank you!!!
But... what it makes me realize about myself, is that I am far less tolerant of people than I am of animals. Luckily, my boyfriend, while not as into animal related things as I am (ie... he thinks the things I do with Gordy are fantastic, but it isn't something he would have thought to seek out himself... he is very actively into fostering dogs with me, but again, not something he would do if he weren't living with me, he finds it interesting to spend a day at the aquarium, but wouldn't go out of his way to donate money to marine life research),but he is very compassionate towards animals. He has a lot of patience, and a lot of forgiveness for animals... although, like me, not as much patience for people, and neither of us find it all that easy to forgive people. He really sees them as living, breathing, thinking, feeling creatures... and that's something that is really important to me. I don't have to ever defend the animals who live here, because he gets it.
With other people, I'm pretty blunt... and if they don't appreciate my dog, or that when I have free time, I like to spend it in dog friendly places (i.e. if a friend wants to go out for lunch... I'll suggest a picnic lunch at a park so I can bring Gordy... or if a friend wants to hang out, but isn't okay with Gordy coming over, then I'll ask that she come to my house instead) because life's too short... I refuse to leave Gordy alone for the hours of the week that I work, and then turn around and constantly leave him in my free time too. Not only is Gory 100% deserving of my time, but I WANT to spend time with him as often as I possibly can. I don't have patience for people saying "he's just a dog" he's MY dog. My dog is never "just a dog." He's more valuable than "just a dog" to me.
Now that I've spent a little more time on this forum, I've seen homes where all of the people in the house don't have the same compassion, or devotion to animals. It's kind of struck a curiosity with me... when you have such a strong passion for something, how do you make it work with those people who live with you who not only don't share that passion... but who at times even seem to belittle that? I know I'd have a really hard time with it... so how do you keep from wanting to rehome the people in your life who think you should rehome your pets??
I'm thinking that my boyfriend, and my family... who is very welcoming of Gordy's visits when we go out of town to visit them... and who are happy to come to my house and visit with Gordy without making us change the way we do things at all... are deserving of a very big thank you!!!