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Originally Posted by denim
I suspect the main reason people think this way is because they've never had children and have NO idea what it's like. Comparing a feeling you know with one you don't is bogus.
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Yet you say this to someone whose feelings you don't understand.
Why is it that parents get so defensive whenever someone loves a pet? What are you so worried about? And why do so many parents seem to feel so smugly superior to childless couples?
We just recently had to put our 13-year Golden Retriever to sleep because she was suffering from cancer. My wife is disabled (the reason we don't have children), and due to her limited mobility spent almost every hour of every day of those thirteen years with that dog by her side. To see her grieve over the loss of such a unique being filled with unconditional love and companionship breaks my heart, even while I grieve for the loss myself. To say that dog was not a member of our family would be so untrue; so unfair to her memory; so disparaging to the very concept of love; to think anyone is incapable of understanding that is just incomprehensible. I feel sorry for anyone inhabiting such a black and white; pets vs children world. I wish everyones' hearts were big enough for both.
In a way, I happen to like the way this woman views her relationship with her pet, and I think the real tragedy is that, for every one of her, there are dozens of people who treat their pets no better than livestock.