Pets

Has anyone really thought about the "concept" of pets? Sure -  we can hook up with a faithful dog, sleepy hamster, cuddly cat, etc. but sometimes "pets" can find us. I have had cats and miss them terribly. I have had a cockatiel who thought I was his mom. and pretty much followed me around the house when I left his cage open or he had to "pirate' me by riding my shoulder constantly else he screeched until I acquiesced. Pets can love us unconditionally and bring some attention and happiness into our lives even when we don't expect them to. I am sure mostly everyone has experienced that. Enjoy that simple attention because it can boost your day even in a small way. Here is my latest "for instance" on that one. About a month ago on a Sunday night someone drove by my house and tossed out a huge, full grown rooster. The poor thing started squawking as it ran down the incline on one side of my house. It was dark and the squawking noise made me think it might have been an injured goose, but when I went out to investigate, my neighbor ran over to tell me someone had just thrown him out of his vehicle. I felt bad, the rooster was so scared. As it goes, he settled down somewhere in my back yard under my deck. I live in a simple ranch with my back deck being on the second floor because the house is on the incline. My husband and I were concerned since our back yard ends in woods leading to a reservoir farther out and there are all sorts of critters living in those woods, coyotes for example. We weren't expecting him to live the night but next morning he started crowing around 6:30-7:00 so he did make it. We were really happy and surprised. I threw him some lettuce and seeds to eat (I know - that is looking for trouble.... but we love living things and try our best to support them. I actually pick up spiders and put them outside...my grandkids do "stink bug" patrol and my husband does capture and release.) So he stuck around for a couple of weeks, same routine. One day another neighbor came over to tell me that she thought I had a rooster living in my yard, ha!.....she said she had a friend in animal control who had a 40 acre farm who was willing to adopt it and would even catch it. It has not happened yet due to weather fluctuations and it has to be done at night because they can not see well then. Long story short, Chuckie, as I started to call him, started doing a "walk-about " during the day and started spending his nights elsewhere. We kept thinking he was lost  but in the morning he would him start crowing from far away and he continued as he kept walking, right back to our yard eventually. We were so happy he was still alive! Now he has befriended us as he walks up onto our back deck and sits looking in our window during the day. He still roosts somewhere else at night but always comes in the morning, looking for me and his breakfast. He doesn't really run from us as much any more. I am happy to see him in the morning. I wish I could cuddle him but it is nice to have him still around. This is now week five. Pets can come in many sizes and in many different ways. PETS? Everyone should have at least one and it is nice to be needed in even a small way by one of God's lesser creatures, knowing you can give one of them some comfort.