Life isn't about how long you live, it is about how well you live.

      So above you see two pictures of two amazing animals.  The one on the right is my beloved cat Ash or as I liked to call him, Lord High Commodore Ashington Fluffybutt.  He was in my family's life for over 11 years before illness took him from us.  The goofy mutt on the left is Kilo who belonged to a good friend of mine for all to short a period of time before he was taken from her by Heartworms.  I know that losing Ash left a massive hole in my heart that is still healing so I can guess how devastated my friend must be even though Kilo was only with her a short time.
     One of the hardest thing about having a furry member (or in my case members) of your family is the knowledge that, no matter how well you care for them and how much you love them, the odds are very good that you will outlive them and have to deal with losing them.  It is so easy for many people to focus on that and never know the sheer joy of having these amazing creatures in their lives.
     I think the best thing that these poor fearful people can do is take a lesson from the animals themselves.  To a human, 11 years must seem like a heartbreakingly short period of time.  I mean what is the point of living just over a decade?  However I can promise you that during his brief time on Earth, Ash lived an incredibly full life filled with fun and adventure and more love than most people can imagine.  When he finally passed, he did so surrounded by a family that adored him and he will be remembered for a very long time to come.
     I am not sure how old Kilo was when he passed.  I do know that he was only with my friend for about a week or so.  However and I quote my friend, " While he only lived with us for a little while, he will be forever in our hearts. We take comfort in the fact that he had a great week, playing in the woods, going on long walks, enjoying long scratching sessions, and just hanging out with us. He will be missed."  So for the short time he was here, Kilo was loved and gave love in return.  He will never be forgotten by those he touched.  In the end, isn't that all anyone can really hope for?
     Take a lesson from our pets.  Never be afraid to love fully and go through life with as much joy and zeal as you can manage.  In the end, no one knows just how long they have so get as much living done as you can.

Brew Long and Prosper