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Tempestborn   Mrs.Bonsell   Curt1994   Yayabel1   Boxers4life   Tempestborn   Really   Audib30   Dartplayer8t0   Cphill58   Olesen   Tempestborn

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#2274576 Tempestborn View Profile	Occasionally it hits me every night i go around and turn out everyone’s lights and sing to them all before they go to sleep, reach in to pet silly aleister, who will sit there looking up until i do so, scratch baby pip’s head and watch her eyes close, observe the amazing amount of trust it takes for this animal to allow a human to sing her to sleep. i say good-night to the tip of galadriel’s tail--she sleeps in a paper towel roll--good-night to dear little elvis, who has issues that don’t stop him from licking his little lips in anticipation of a treat after he’s made me chase him all over the cage to finally catch him (after which he will sit contentedly on my shoulder for hours). in the big cage is the tiny shape of a sleeping tortoise who will grow up to be bigger than me. at the moment, she weighs less than 2 ounces. she sits in the palm of my hand and bobs hello at me, knows her name, fears nothing, none of that scrunching-up-into-her-shell for penelope; she has things to do! my beautiful baby cyclura trusts me enough to let me put her food dish down in front of her, to lick an offering of honey off my finger, to allow me to pet her every time i open the cage--and hardly ever tries to make a break for it. the "giant" madagascar day gecko licks baby food off my finger every day and lets mommy "virtual" pet his tummy through the glass. the four-foot lizard who has the run of the place will sit frozen for an hour if i’ll pet her for that long, and a few extra minutes just to make sure i’m done, shares my shower and my bed, pottys on her paper and comes to me for her treat, and i have to remind myself: this is, technically, a wild animal. i sat on my porch this morning and watched my giant cat groom my chihuahua; it’s so sweet. persephone just bends her little head down and closes her eyes. my marty-dog can’t let me leave his sight--he’s beside me as i type--wherever i am is home, as far as he is concerned. my wild-caught african grey will shriek bloody murder if i try to touch him, but he’ll kiss me through his cage. my little african senegal will sit still to be zipped into my purse. his cagemate, my sun conure, will lay on her back while i scratch her belly--these are also, technically, wild animals. i consider these creatures to be a sacred trust. they’re fed before me, bathed before me; their needs come before mine in the budget, because they didn’t ask for me. i asked for them, and i promised to care for them, and they are completely dependent on me. if i ignored my wonderful tiny penelope in her cage, she couldn’t get out to get food or water on her own--my heart tightens to think of it. i can’t ever let myself think about something happening to her; i get too scared. as i sit here in the darkened room--we go to bed early around here--i feel a deep peace in my heart that only comes from them, a love for these children of my heart that is indescribable in its intensity, and an overwhelming awareness of the importance of my stewardship. and i can’t tell anybody but you. you’re the only ones who understand. "until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened." --anatole france good-night, jesse
07/25/12  09:27pm
#2274577 Mrs.Bonsell View Profile	Message To: Tempestborn   In reference to Message Id: 2274576  Occasionally it hits me Awe man! That was a tear jerker! <3
07/25/12  09:58pm
#2274580 Curt1994 View Profile	Message To: Mrs.Bonsell   In reference to Message Id: 2274577  Occasionally it hits me Can I say b-e-a-u-tiful ;)
07/25/12  10:18pm
#2274582 Yayabel1 View Profile	Message To: Curt1994   In reference to Message Id: 2274580  Occasionally it hits me That was beautiful
07/25/12  11:22pm
#2274583 Boxers4life View Profile	Message To: Curt1994   In reference to Message Id: 2274580  Occasionally it hits me I share your thoughts Jesse. We bring these animals into our home not because they are lower than we are but to treat them as the wonderful animals they are. People always ask me why I spend so much on my animals and so little on me. It’s because if I choose to have them then they will be before my wants. They get the best food I can give them and I’m happy to eat frozen meals. Your message was beautiful Jesse, thank you for being who you are.
07/25/12  11:29pm
#2274604 Tempestborn View Profile	Message To: Boxers4life   In reference to Message Id: 2274583  Occasionally it hits me i am sometimes blessed with the right words... nothing can truly express what i feel for them, but those of you who love them, too, understand in your hearts. jesse
07/26/12  10:14am
#2274606 Really View Profile	Message To: Tempestborn   In reference to Message Id: 2274604  Occasionally it hits me That was beautiful Jesse! I am stealing your quote for FB. Did you get my email messages? I don’t have time to write more. I’m about to hit the road again...
07/26/12  10:58am
#2274648 Audib30 View Profile	Message To: Really   In reference to Message Id: 2274606  Occasionally it hits me That was beautiful and yes a tear jerker! I understand completely! My sweet lizards are my life and I feel for them the way people I know care about their children. You put it into words wonderfully!
07/26/12  07:39pm
#2274742 Dartplayer8t0 View Profile	Message To: Tempestborn   In reference to Message Id: 2274576  Occasionally it hits me Now that is awesome. I know how you feel. My iguana "zig" is a very important part of my life. She is so tame she is just as content to be hand fed as to fill her food bowl. Sometimes she comes over just to sit in my lap. I really love my iguana and i think she is very content with me too.
07/27/12  10:10pm
#2274768 Cphill58 View Profile	Message To: Dartplayer8t0   In reference to Message Id: 2274742  Occasionally it hits me Sweet...very nicely said. I envy your eloquent fluid writing and the ease with the way you tell your stories. Always a pleasure to read. PS , I hope all is well with Susan and Kismet...give her our best , we only catch a snippet here and there. I did hear that Kismet didn’t need surgery?? I hope that is still true.
07/28/12  05:12am
#2274782 Olesen View Profile	Message To: Cphill58   In reference to Message Id: 2274768  Occasionally it hits me so true - how nicely you put it into words :)
07/28/12  11:54am
#2274787 Tempestborn View Profile	Message To: Olesen   In reference to Message Id: 2274782  Occasionally it hits me yeah, chris, kismet is okay. i put a thread called "i heard from susan;" it’s down a bit further. thank you for all the sweet compliments. i knew my forum friends would know exactly what i was talking about. jesse
07/28/12  12:20pm

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