Diverse Animals, a not so fun account

Yesterday, I wrote about Jaren's instilling a love of diverse animals in his little children. I was referring to his many pictures of the critters he's found and published on his blog: a turtle, a frog, tarantulas, snakes including a rattle snake, Gila monsters, etc. There have been more and I am sure there will continue to be more.
Today, sadly I want to express some raging and some rambling feelings about soft cuddly animals, the kind we love and take care of and miss when they are gone.
This has not been a good year for the Watson family and their pets. Even shortly prior to the last 365 days, Baylee and Kelton lost their water dragon and turtle. Cierra, a bird lover, wanted and worked diligently to earn a unique kind of parakeet shown in the above picture. Baylee and other family members helped her wash cars and tend kids to earn over $200 to purchase her bird. Maybe because she worked so hard to earn the money for "Fiji" and maybe it would have happened anyway but she truly bonded with and loved her bird; it loved her back. Cierra gave her other bird, a parakeet named Sky to Baylee because Baylee had lost her lizard. Baylee only owned Sky for a few days when a neighbor boy ended the little bird's life. Baylee and Cierra both mourned.
A few months ago, I was at the temple intending to do two sessions when I became ill and had to leave after only finishing one session. When I got to my car and turned on my cell phone, there was a message from Charity. I returned the call and was told Cierra was heart-broken--Fiji had gotten hurt in the cage and died. I called Autumn and headed straight for their house. The pain this sweet girl was experiencing ate acid holes in my heart.
In just a few months time, Crystal lost El Tigre, Libby lost a kitty, Grandpa's (Johnny's/Johnny's) Beagel, Smeigle had to be put down. Jaren's King Tito--ahbrrteats--his cat of 13 years also had to be put down because of feline infectious peritonitis.
And last night, Baylee called in tears. Their dog (Joe's dog) Bridget who was a daughter of Smeigle was hit and killed on the road in front of their house.
So, my blog today is to allow me to explore and solidify through expression some of my thoughts.
Several times I have heard people say that when a child loses a beloved pet, it helps prepare them for the later loss of a loved human companion. I say this is bunk. Pain is painful regardless of whether one has or has not experienced pain in the past. I have never known or heard of a person with chronic pain saying because I hurt yesterday, or last week, or last month, or last year, or continuously, my pain is not as bad today. The loss of a pet does not lessen the blow when another pet is lost and it certainly does not prepare one for the loss of a family member.
I remember one week after we lost Joshua, a (if I'm generous, I will say well-meaning) person came to me and told me she knew just what I was going through. Expecting her to tell of a horrid tragedy in her family, I was shocked when she told me their dog had been run over. For thirty minutes, I listened dumbfounded as she compared the feelings she was having to what she erroneously (stupidly?) interpreted as my feelings and the feelings of my family members at losing our treasured son and brother. A lot of people said strange things, but that one was really a gem. (Far many more people were graciously supportive.)
Losing Josh, as heart wrenching as it was and sometimes still is, in no way prepared any of us to lose Johnny. One cannot quantify or qualify or even pitifully attempt to describe the pain involved in those two events.
Yet, I was surprised at how hard it was to have Tito put to sleep. And I miss her jumping on my bed in the middle of the night. I miss her butting my face with her head when she wanted me to get up and feed her.
So, what's the solution? Do we deprive our children and ourselves of the joy and love a pet can bring?
It's trite, but when there is life, there is death. When there is love, there is the potential for loss. Do we give up on life and/or love? After Josh died, I was filled with so much self-pity I felt that every time I got up, I got knocked down. So, for several years, I didn't get up. Bad choice. Bad bad choice.
Two days ago, I talked about the Watson's indomitable spirit. Since Johnny died, while pain may have been ever present, the people in this family have refused to be beaten. Johnny Randall has taken over the reins at JRW and Associates and is establishing the business and himself as a reputable, competent architect/architectural firm and construction management enterprise. Lisa finished her master's program, graduated, and has conquered her nemesis and continues that quest. Dr. Joseph Watson finished his residency program with honors and much acclaim and is a doctor in his own right practicing in Rexburg. Jennica is noted not only for her fierceness on the race course, but also for her culinary skills and her ability to harness her own kids plus several others and climb mountains both literally and figuratively. Jaren graduated from college, spent a year in Kentucky and is now in Tucson in a MFA program. For more on him, see yesterday's post. And I have gotten out of bed every day and fought the battle that needed fighting. As well as being immensely proud of my children, I am also content with my own efforts. Our son and daughters in law are no less deserving; I am also very proud of them.
My answers may not be the solution for anyone else. But the answer for me--taken from a very wise man--is to "alternate feet."