I wont be in for work today, my hamster is unwell

Ahh sorry boss but I wont be in for work today, my hamster is unwell with the flu…

It’s funny but I wrote a recent post about how the maternal instinct in some way catches us all. Whether it is harboured in the desire to have children or whether it is a maternal caring for someone close, but more and more, it manifests in the fostering of an adopted animal.

I love my ‘farm’ and feel much more responsible for them, much more authoritative over them and much more loving towards them than any other pet I may have had pre-20. Why? Because biologically I was meant to be caring for children by now. That child has just been replaced with picky felines and dirty slobbering dogs.

Yet, despite these little lives effectively being my children of right now, it surprises me how unforgiving people can be. People have no qualms laughing at you for harbouring this love, maybe even talking about you (when some people are actually unable to even carry children, heightening this maternal effect.) People have no qualms telling you how ugly or revolting your furry child may be. People have no qualms thinking you are crazy for worrying over your animal when they are sick. And not many bat much of an eye when you are grieving the loss of this tiny life that meant so much to you.

When we watched Tom Hanks on cast away lose his beloved partner in life ‘Wilfred,’ we got it. He was lonely and he ‘made’ a friend. I do believe this is what many people do with their pets. Yet, again, we do not always get it and are so quick to take a judgemental view point.

As I was growing up, I saw friends of my family mocking those who did not have children. Not for the reason that they did not have children, but because they signed their Christmas cards from their dogs and dotted over them as if they were small children who required this huge level of love and attention. Other women without children litter their face book with pictures of their nieces and nephews and some use work to take that place of their ‘baby.’ Everyone needs some outlet for this type of love, so why do we mock them? What does it matter if they want to sign their card from their dog, whom they feel are a significant member of their family? They aren’t mad – they just have a small hole that is being filled in an alternative manner to what is the typical tradition of 2.4 children.

The point of many of my facebook posts are to say ‘don’t knock it until you have tried it.’ We often forget to see things from other people’s points of view and this is quite a sad and a potentially harmful place to sit. Just think about how things may seem to that other person whom we may be challenging.

And let people love who and what they want to love! We forget that an uncle to one person may not mean as much as an uncle to another. I have an uncle, who I love unconditionally, only he is not actually a blood relative (or therefore my real uncle) and I doubt I would ever be granted compassionate leave if anything ever happened to him. Yet, I love him as much, if not more than someone who may be sharing my DNA and he has played a major role in my upbringing and childhood.

If Tom Hanks loved a ball with a pretend face on castaway, I love a cat because they take the role of my children and you loved your friend as if they were your sister; who cares. Let your heart be free and don’t feel we need to withhold our comments or feelings because they do not fit with societal norms. The world is changing and we do not have to act or think within the box any more. We make our families as we want to these days and I think that is wonderful.

Sanny and Franny

Florence in towel

Dogs Dubai Pug Lovers ‪#‎family‬ ‪#‎love‬ ‪#‎wellness‬ ‪#‎society‬

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