A hard lesson to learn

As you may had been aware for the last week we had been raising a baby Wallaby.  His name.. Fluffy Barry.. Yep kids named him. Fluffy Barry battled for a week then took a quick turn for the worse and died.  This has been a tough lesson to learn for the Ferals : nothing lives for ever.



RIP little Fuzzy Barry



As a child everything is an adventure.  One does not consider anything negative really happening.  Life is all fairy floss and lolly pops with a few sour grapes thrown in for good measure but getting to the age when one realises all is not as it seems can be confronting and frightening.

I recall as a young child loosing pets and not really thinking much of it.  The thought of getting a new animal to love far out weighed the loss of the other. I never really considered what happened or understood.  The innocence of young childhood can be a gift but also a struggle as we grow to understand the cycle of life.

 
My Grandfather passed when I was around 7.  I don't have much of a memory about him but I do remember the day we were told he was going into hospital.  I was with my cousins having photos taken by my father.  I did not understand the seriousness of all that was happening.  As long as I had my safe cocoon of family around me and cousins to play with I was happy.  My Grandfather did not come out of hospital.  I can remember my mum being upset but she must have done an incredible job to keep going as her heart would have been breaking as she cared for my sister and I.  We also lost my Great Grandmother .. Granny  .. around this time and I know I did not understand.

When a teenager my Great Grandfather .. Ganty .. was in a  home for the aged.  I recall what a drag it was to go and visit him.  How boring it seemed and how scary the elderly people were.  Oh how I wish I could turn back time and see him again.  He lived until 94 and if I had known then what I know now, what a fascinating man he was, I would have paid far more attention.  His passing I had far more of an understanding of but it did not affect me to the degree of loosing my Grandmother. Nothing has effected me to that degree ever at this stage of my life.

I some times look at the Ferals and see the love they have for my parents.  It is a love that holds no bounds.  A feeling that is mutual and one that is so special I envy their relationship and wish so much that my Grandma was here to see them.  I also know that my parents, being such a huge part of their lives,  will one day leave a hole that will never be filled.  But I am so grateful for my Ferals to have them.  The cliche of we don't know what we have until it is gone rings in my ears.

My oldest Feral has not copped very well with the loss of Fluff Barry.  Although we have lost other pets during his 9 years this is the first one that he has been old enough to form an attachment to and feel its loss.  He cried a deep guttural cry and had a nightmare which I comforted him through.  He asks the questions about heaven.  Is Fluffy there ? Is it real ?  I honestly don't know but told him if he believes it, then for him it is real.  I do not know if this eased his active mind but it did seem to help.

Unless the passing of someone close or of a beloved pet happens to us we don't really give this subject much thought.  I am grateful to have the right to put to sleep an animal that is suffering as my wonderful old horse was.  To pass with dignity and the chance to say good bye.  I personally believe we should all have the right to decide what happens to us as we age.  It is they say a time for celebration to remember all that was with a smile. Everything happens for a reason.....

Time heals all wounds we are told and to be honest I do think this is true.  We may never forget but we learn to cope and deal with the pain.  To remember the fun times and to smile at these thoughts.
I say to my Curly haired Feral how lucky we were to have Fluffy Barry and to think of the week we had him as an adventure.  We all learnt something from him entering our lives especially the Ferals.  
It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all and this is a lesson no matter how hard it seems at the time, that we have all had to learn as the Ferals are now.

 I am sure if there is a heaven that Fluffy Barry is shining down on the boys and thanking them with a little paw.  He had a great week and our lives are all the richer for him being a part of it.

                    Cheers Dilly xx