The Mouse That Wept

Last week I received, and then sent around my circle of closer friends and coworkers, a cute little inspirational piece, interspersed with what looks like children's drawings of children playing; you've probably seen it, or any of thousands of its ilk: 

TODAY'S INSPIRATION

HOW TO STAY YOUNG
1. Throw out nonessential numbers.
This includes age, weight, and height.
Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay them.

2. Keep only cheerful friends.
The grouches pull you down.
(Keep this in mind if you are one of those grouches!)

3. Keep learning:
Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever.
Never let the brain get idle.
"An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer!

4. Enjoy the simple things

5. Laugh often, long, and loud. Laugh until you have to gasp for breath.
And if you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with him or her!

 

6. The tears happen:
Endure, grieve, and move on.
LIVE while you are alive.

7. Surround yourself with what you love:
Whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever.
Your home is your refuge.

 

8. Cherish your health:
If it is good, preserve it.
If it is unstable, improve it.
If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.

9. Don't take guilt trips.
Instead, take a trip to the mall, even to another country, but NOT to where the guilt is.

10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

And if you don't send this to at least four people - who cares?
But do share this with someone.

Conservative friend Anon E. Mouse is good for sending these out, too – and sometimes I'll pounce on her gently for assuming that the Dalai Lama, or Saint Thérèse, has ever had time to write such treacle. Still, some folks like a high-sugar e-diet, so who am I to deny them?

Anyway, I generally include her when I pass one along; she responded to this one:

Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 9:44 AM

Thanks AgingChild, funny how on days when you really need encouragement emails seem to appear out of nowhere. Thanks earthly angel. Regards,
Anon E. Mouse

I answered:

Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 10:00 AM

Glad to pass along, of course! Remember from kindergarten: if it's a fun toy, or a giggle-making joke or inspiration, share it with the rest of the class so everyone can enjoy it!

But "angel"? Plllpp! Wrong window, ma'am. I just pray to be His clean and simple vessel or/and conduit. Trouble is, my own agenda too often clogs the pipe, so at times too little of the good stuff comes through; sigh.

Come to think of it, though, that doesn't stand in His way – if I'm supposed to pass along a good word to someone who needs it, the word gets through anyway… and He gives me a hug, too, on His way past to picking up the person in greatest need of being held and embraced.

Even being peripheral is a little blessing in itself. Amazing how much He has to go around!!

Regards,

AgingChild

But it wasn't simply a matter of a merely lousy day Mouse was having:

Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 10:10 AM

Yea, I do remember AC. Sometimes just don't know how to handle disappearances by the ones I love. It's Carlie the impish 6 month old corgi who weighs in at about 12 lbs. She's missing since sometime yesterday, but this isn't the first time. Last time we lost her was when it was really cold in January and she was 5 lbs.; F2 [Mouse's husband] found her with the goats. This time he's looked in all the fields, went to the neighbors and no Carlie. I have a very hard time with this freedom bit for the pups. We have foxes and maybe even coyotes around. I've already lost 2 cats, Raffi the first month after moving in and Quilla his sister in January right after Carlie was lost and then found. I'm not sure I can continue with this emotional rollercoaster ride. Regards,
Anon

I'm no real dog person. I'm the odd (straight) man who really likes cats, and has no desire to have a dog – though I'll play with friends' and neighbors'. So my empathy wasn't as sensitive as she needed, but I was still able to put my heart in her place:

Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 11:57 AM

My friend, to say that "animals'll be animals" is no consolation when a warm, fuzzy, and affectionate – and vulnerable – critter is gone and, for all you know, just might be lost forever.

One of your own most awesome traits is the size of your heart; you see it right away in how you've embraced F2 and his kids… and in how you really worried about that ahead of time, too. You've seen it, too, in aching for your parents' health, and tears over the passing of your last dog. The cost to you of such a heart is, of course, that this deep-loving heart can also be deeply wounded.

You know that there simply is only so much you can do for these four-legged charges of yours: feed, clean, and shelter them; train and play with them; teach them where the boundaries are… and of course love them totally. Yet short of chaining them down, locking them up 24/7, and keeping every one of them on half-foot leashes, they are still at the mercy of nature: weather, instincts, and so on.

And each time one of them steps outside – where wilder, colder, more aggressive creatures lurk – your animals do take a risk, of course… and they take your big and vulnerable heart with them. You can't change this about yourself without obliterating a very essential piece of what makes you… you. This is a big part, too, of what your husband and children love about you (as do your friends and colleagues). The hurt is okay.

I don't know if our pets and other animals have guardian angels – although some are most definitely our own earthly guardians. Rest assured that God has entrusted them to you, and does expect each of you to be their physical caretaker here on Earth (and knows you can do this beautifully well). So you do want to be sure you're fulfilling this role as their caretakers. And indeed, you do already do all you arguably can to ensure their safety, security, and good health.

Beyond that, and your reasonable peace of mind, trust them back to Him and His care when they're out of your reach. And let it be a consolation, not frustration, that He didn't make you master/mistress of Earth, with the power to protect every child and animal from all threats… we're each expected to do what we can as vulnerable creatures ourselves, but we still have to leave the rest to Him.

The five hardest and scariest words for me to embrace are "Jesus, I trust in You" – and I've been working at that for several years now. It's not easy… but it does reassure us of His embrace those times a warm-and-fuzzy creature has returned to Him… as he will do for those whom we love when our own moment is in His hands.

Regards,

AC

Generally my words can give Anon some deep consolation. But not this time:

Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 4:33 PM

Hi Acey, Thanks for your encouraging email, but I don't know if I can go through the emotional continual upheaval. Just in case you wanted to see the trio, from right to left is Marlo (½ corgi, ½ beagle), Milar (9 mo. Male) & Carlie (6 mo. Female) who at the moment is lost.

Just made up some lost flyers to post; F2 walked through the woods around our neighbors property; no luck yet. Regards,
Anon E. Mouse

There was little more I could offer her. I don't have the power to cause stray animals to return home. I can pray for them, too, but the world can be cruel and a lot more black-and-white and uncompassionate where animals are involved.

Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2007 5:01 PM

How cute! Of course they'd win and keep your heart!

Marlo really does look part beagle! And your other two corgis look a bit like short-legged, short-haired shelties with more muscle. Thanks, and good luck to both of – all three of – you; thank God also that you each have the other to lean on for strength while waiting (and working) for Carlie's return.

Regards,

AgingChild

I've heard nothing more since, so I assume Carlie's still lost. I think God gave us animals to show us examples of total love and devotion (and at times utter dependence), and also to showcase for us the painful need to let a loved one go when s/he's out of our protecting arms and sight.

All things, and all living beings especially, return to God. This can be a bit easier to bear when we remember that God is closer to us than our own heartbeat… and so if our loved one – be s/he pet, friend, parent, child – is no farther away. Sometimes you don't even need to close your eyes. Why, the tears can leak out quite nicely even if they're wide open.