This post is dedicated to my dad. I told him I'd give him a link to my blog if he read it and commented occasionally. He agreed (so, daddy, I'm hoping to find a comment here, sooner or later ;). Then I asked dad to give me a blog topic. After much deliberation and a visit to a pet store, he decided on ... "visits to pet stores." Go figure! Well, here goes...
Ever since I can remember, there was barely ever a shopping trip that went by without me dragging my parents into a pet store. The only pets I've ever had are the occasional spiders or ladybugs that wandered into our house every now and then, but absence really has made the heart grow fonder. I'm not obsessed by animals to the point that I value them as much as humans, but I just love the way they can bring people joy without even trying. Here are a few pet-related memories that still make me smile:
The last time I entered a pet store, there were these two funny little lizards that absolutely stole my heart. As I walked up to them, they seemed to be completely "out of it," staring off into space. However, as soon as I put my hand up to the glass, they sprang up and scrambled to catch up with my fingers. I moved my hand around for a while, the lizards following my every move, until I stopped in the middle of their aquarium. With absolute precision, they paused right in front of my hand; one lizard stepped up on top of the other to form a neat little stack, and they pressed up their noses to the glass where my fingers were. I thought that was the sweetest thing ever, and spent two minutes just laughing to myself. I think we could learn a thing or two from these lizards -- how to willingly step out of our everyday lives to meet and commune with God, how to follow him with trust and loyalty, how to use teamwork to make sure we hit the mark he wants us to live up to as precisely as we can.
That was one of two big lessons I learned at the pet store. The other one happened a while ago. I went to a mall where there was a huge cage, divided in two, with an open top. In the first section of the cage were guinea pigs; in the second, bunnies. This was the first time I had ever seen such a pet store display where I could actually reach in and pet the animals, so I jumped at this once-in-a-long-time opportunity and put my hand in to pet one of the guinea pigs. It completely freaked out and ran away from me. I don't know who was more scared -- it or I! I hadn't expected the guinea pig to be so untrusting towards someone who meant no harm. To soothe my hurt feelings, I cautiously reached into the bunnies' half of the cage, hoping for better luck. Almost immediately, several warm, soft, furry little creatures scurried towards me.
It was one of those great moments in life.
:P Really, though, I couldn't stop talking about that for weeks. It was one of my first real encounters with animals, after hundreds of slightly-disheartening visits to pet stores in which the furry lodgers had ignored my pleas for their attention. And my five minutes petting those little rabbits meant so much to me at that moment. It felt nice to just be wanted. That they finally gave back some of the love I'd been giving to animals all my life. That experience showed me a lot about loving God and other people. When I remember how bad it felt to be "snubbed" by the guinea pigs, I remind myself to be "bunny-like" in my trust towards others.
Not all per-store visits came with a moral. Some were just plain funny, like a golden retriever puppy who was sleeping so soundly, he didn't even feel his brother energetically devouring his right ear. It gave everyone a good laugh. :) Other visits were heartbreaking, like a baby chihuahua whose eyes looked so tragically sad that my mind whispered a little prayer before I could stop myself: Lord, please let him find a good home. Either way, pet store visits always give me something to look forward to, and later think/laugh about.
So, dad, there you go -- that's my little spiel on pet stores. Hope you enjoyed it!
And, to all other blog readers who have grown up around animals and wouldn't even blink if a lizard or bunny came running up to you, I know I probably sound like some deprived child; but one of my parents is allergic to animals, so that's why I've never had a pet and get so excited over little things like these!
Love, Oksana
PS. Here's a portrait of one of my past pets, a dancing ladybug! :)
5 comments:
i love pet stores... especially the fish and the mice :D that picture is awesome! my nickname used to be laura ladybug :)
The mouse-department is the first place I go to! They're very cute! :)
would you mind if i put the ladybug picture on my blog?
Go right ahead! :D And thank you!
If you click on it, you'll get to my Flickr page, which has another photo of the same ladybug.
I'll check your blog out later tonight.
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