The lights of my life.

[Kitosdad]

Most people have a "light" in their lives, a special someone or something that makes their lives feel joyful and worthwhile. I am lucky enough to have three "lights" in mine. Actually it is only two, as the third is not with me twenty-four hours of the day.

I am, of course, speaking about my three best friends, Violetta, Rusty and Lucky. Three dogs that came all the way from Spain just to find me. Of course that is a fantasy, but I like to think of it as being true.

It all started after I had my first heart-attack. I was rushed into hospital and given fantastic attention by the German heart specialists there. After some days I was allowed home once again and I was feeling relieved, but also a little despondent. Day after day was one long bore and I was feeling really fed-up and listless. Glancing out of my window I happened to see a man with a small dog on a leash, and he was striding along whistling away and appearing at peace with world. I'd this sudden impulse to also have a dog, so I went along to the local kennels and asked if I could purchase a dog. The owner suggested that I first try just coming and taking a dog for a walk each day before deciding that I really wanted to buy one. This I did for two weeks. It was on the second week that I met my Violetta, a golden-brown mongrel lady, and it was love at first sight.

I walked her every day for a week before taking the plunge and buying her, It took all of the little money that I had, but I was happy to surrender it for the constant companionship of my little lady. We were both deliriously happy in each others company, and I felt myself becoming more confident and healthy day by day.

My neighbour had also bought a little dog that very same week, and she asked if I would take her dog on my twice-daily meanders. I readily agreed, and I was delighted to see how well these two got along together. Violetta was five years old, whilst Lucky was about eleven years old. My Violetta is a natural huntress, and as soon as I slip her lead off she is away foraging for anything that moves, but little Lucky is not so energetic and just prefers to walk by my side, and he never mixes with other dogs that we meet on our walks.

Then Rusty entered our lives thanks to another neighbour who had seperated from his wife, and his having to work long hours meant the little dog was left alone nearly all day long. He offered the dog to me for free, and although I was aware that this would really be stretching my finances beyond breaking point, I warmly accepted him.

So, there you have it. Three dogs and one old guy, but we are all so happy to have each other, and I wouldn't have it any other way ......... I love 'em to pieces.

Kitos.
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If you need me, I'm here.

[Shyone]

I, too, have a light of my life.

While I was living with my Ex I had 2 dogs and 3 cats, or he had them, I was only the one looking after the lot. Every time I walked the 2 dogs I had the 3 cats trailing behind, like they were dogs as well and needed walking. When we broke up I was heartbroken.

I was moving into a 1 bedroom apartment, no place for 2 big dogs. And the cats? They were used to come and go as they liked, I just couldn't lock them into this confined space, it would have been cruel.

A few weeks later two of my colleagues approached me. They had picked up a kitten in the yard of the Hotel we were working in, and now they decided it was too much work to look after an animal. The cat, then called Mojo, had but 3 choices, the pound, the street or me. I took her in and immediately renamed her. She is Ms Lucky now, and has spent the past 5 years with me here in the apartment. Luckily the girls had kept her inside all the time, so she had no desire to get out.

Her main purpose in life now is to lounge on the window sill and to wait for her food.
She always has dry food to go to whenever she feels like eating, but when evening approaches she is waiting for her treat. She either has tuna in brine, her favourite, or a pouch of cat food.

She has been great company all this time, and I do think that in this case I'm the lucky one.
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[SkiIucK]

It's indeed very stirring to hear these stories, guys. It is good to have lights.