Test Of 'Faith'
FairyFeller
Veteran
I think I've just had my biggest test of 'faith' ever.
I came to Buddhism about three years ago and up until then I would pray or make a deal with god if life became stressful. I would spend hours repeating that deal/prayer and this scenario would happen in every similar situation. I would get no relief from the stress, if anything I'd be more stressed because I'd wonder if had willed enough power to get the outcome I needed.
Fast forward to today - my dog is sick, we're talking one strong cough/sneeze away from death. My dog is the centre of my world, I know her life is going to be shorter than mine and my partners but she loves the world like I do and the love she gives inspires me to love the world even more. 3+ years ago I would be praying and stressing but now I'm just worried, very worried but not stressed. I'm not blaming my past deeds, I'm not blaming some fictional entity etc.
Comments
Buddhist Mode: There is nothing indeed, to blame, save impermanence and attachment. Everything has a beginning, a middle and an end. There is no escape, no avoiding, no evading, no postponing: When it is not your time, you stay.
When it IS your time, you go.
There is nothing in either the heavens or on earth that can alter or affect that.
Dog Behaviourist Mode: You should be (healthily) attached to your dog - do not cling to her, because your worry is palpable to her.
She knows that whatever is happening, is affecting you also.
This can lead to stress for the animal.
Be loving, calm and of comfort.
If you want to worry and manifest your grief, do so away form her.
Death, to an animal, is not an emotional experience.
It is merely an event.
It is our emotional output, grief and manifestation of emotions, that affects them. And they do not understand as we do, or interpret them as humans can.
I wish you well, strength and relief from the worry.
With Metta.
Fede.
Seems true to me.
Sorry, FairyFeller, about the heartache you're going through, Outcomes, I believe, do tend to be less harsh than we fear, and fear seems usually to be our worst enemy.
Fear can be overcome, however, by projecting ones love further outside oneself. Radiating love to the entire universe and growing it daily mitigates the severity of fear when it strikes us. In many ways, as emotions go, fear and love are opposites.
Be well!
Please keep us informed.
Look after your self, which includes those you love.
Thank you for your comments, I thought I'd deleted this before posting it. My point was that I can't believe what a difference 3 years makes.
Three yeas ago I would have been praying etc. and this this year faced with this challenge I thought about praying but 'saw the light'. I realised there was no point and feel much less stressed because of it.
Nobody was aware of how worried I was not even my 12 year old pup, I didn't want anybody to pick up on the stress. She had a sewing needle embedded in her lung purely the fault of my partner who is forever leaving them on the sofa but I didn't tell her she was to blame, she knew she'd done it and I'd warned her hundreds of times it was going to happen.
The vet managed to retrieve it at a cost that would lift a small country out of international debt and she needs 4 days of close monitoring but hopefully she's going to be okay.
So nice to hear about the good prognosis.
Good news.
Puppy New Year.
The powers of 'Puppy Love'
Puppy, Kitty, Birdie, Crittery and Happy new Year!
I'm sorry to be antagonist, (and I might be misunderstanding your comment) but I think your GF should be told.
Otherwise she will continue blissfully unaware of her actions and the consequences - already serious and nearly fatal - could be much worse.
as to the vet's bill, although I'm sure you would be vociferous in your contradiction, I think she should be at least somewhat responsible.
However, I don't know if I'm reading your comment correctly.
She knows she's done it, she's trying to convince herself/me that the dog managed to inhale it but to me the X-rays look like she's laid on it. There's no point in me shouting or getting angry as it'll achieve nothing and she's already emotionally punishing herself.
Well if you ever find another needle out of place, be sure to bring her attention to it.
And while I discount her theory completely, and am far more inclined to believe yours is the more logical and true version, it really doesn't matter which way it got into the dog. Had it not been there, it wouldn't have happened.
But please don't think I'm attempting to drive a wedge in between you guys.
If she feels badly and is emotionally punishing herself then you're right, it's enough - hopefully this will be a reminder to her to not leave the darned things lying around.
I've got my princess home, a little bit tousled and sleepy, a few more scar that'll be hidden by her fur but still as gorgeous. £4,500 is worth every penny.
There's probably a lesson for me about attachment in this tale somewhere but a life without love is not one I would want to live, my life is certainly richer for having had her in it and let's hope I can manage to hold on to that attachment a little longer.
^ There'd have to be something SERIOUSLY wrong with someone who did not absolutely adore that one.
Serious.
Apparently the pleural effusion is back and can't be cured without more major surgery. The specialist vets want to crack her sternum open and fill the chest cavity with water 'to find the leak the same way you would if you were finding a leak in an old tyre'...
She does like to photobomb...
Family health problems are always a headache, but insurance helps. I doubt that anybody offers health insurance for non-human animals, though.
'Tis noble to care for them, though, kind sir!
Yes they do; in the UK at least.
Glad your dog is okay, FF.
They do in Australia too.
Oooooh squee she looks exactly my Tess when I was a teenager. And she has a Pound Puppy toy!!!!! I had the exact same one when I was a kid
I hope she recovers well and continues her happy life with you.
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Yes my bundle of silliness is insured
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