Yogi and Pepper, "Just Pets"

In the last month, two dear friends of mine were faced with the sad need to compassionately end the lives of their animal companions. While we as a society are increasingly value our "pets" (39% of US households have at least one dog and 33% have at least one cat), we're still shy and/or dismissive when it comes to honoring the loss of these friends.

So this post is dedicated to Pepper the cat and Yogi the dog, treasured companions and teachers. These creatures who literally don't speak our language, willingly entrust us with their (relatively simple!) care. This inter-species alliance brings us immeasurable gifts: the constancy of their presence, the sense of purpose their reliance creates, the way they surprise and tickle us with joy, their affection thoroughly clean of obligation. For me, the greatest gift is what they show us about ourselves: this heart, its effortless devotion and the beauty of its love.

Pepper

Yogi

Pepper and Yogi were surely lucky to have these friends of mine as guardians. As we gain and lose everything in this life that is dear to us, I celebrate the wonderful and mysterious lives of Pepper and Yogi, ended in the fall of 2010, ushered forward in love.