My son Dallas came home a couple of weekends ago to face a tough decision. His dog Baxter wasn’t doing so well, and Dallas wanted to take him to Jim Butler, whom he trusts exclusively in situations like this. The news wasn’t good: Baxter was crippled with arthritis, he was stone-deaf, he was nearly blind, he had bladder control problems, and his heart wasn’t in good shape. In the end, my son chose to put Baxter to sleep and, thereby, end his suffering.

Losing a pet is as painful as losing a member of the family. Some folks take offense to the suggestion that an animal is comparable to a human. Perhaps they’ve never had a pet, or perhaps they’ve never had to deal with the loss of one.

The truth is that many people spend more time each day with dogs or cats than they do with wives and children. Before long, each creature learns the habits and idiosyncrasies or the other. They negotiate through them and live in near harmony. The same can't be said for two humans who often allow egos to keep them from co-existing. 

I know no animals who have filed for divorce or emancipation from their owners. Even when a person snaps at a pet or ignores it, the animal comes back with nothing but love. All a pooch wants is a pat on the head or a scratch on the belly.The same thing can't be said for us two-legged creatures. We expect much more of a reward for loving another, and it usually includes a combination of property and power.


So, Dallas said goodbye to his friend and held him as he slipped away. It's a gut-wrenching experience, even more so when it's the first time. We gave o'l Baxter a decent burial and placed some flowers on his grave. Then my son was left to learn how to get along without his buddy.


Amy is much wiser than either Dallas or I am. She knows that one way to soothe the sting of grief is to cook some good country food. She worked in the kitchen, and when supper time came ("dinner" comes only on Sunday and holidays) a casserole dish filled with barbeque meatballs (similar to little meatloaves) and a pot of fresh green beans were waiting. Dallas loaded up, as did I, and her forgot how much he was hurting for a little while. For dessert, my bride prepared a large bowl of "banana-less" banana pudding, and it put a smil on his face.


The same thing occurs when a loved one dies. Friends and church family flood us with all sorts of foods. Most of them are "country cooking" and homemade desserts. It all amounts to comfort food. No, the stuff doesn't bring back the person, nor does it make us forget them. However, those recipes spark memories of the past when all were together in celebration around the table.


Whether we lose a family member, close friend, or pet, the pain is real, and the emptiness feels big enough to swallow ujs. We get by the best we know how, but when others surround us with love and good food, the void is filled just a little, and an assurance that "this too shall pass" settles around us. Dallas lost he best friend; his mother helped him through the tough day with a stove full of love. He survived.