I was looking back to my very first post here almost a year ago, which included this paragraph:
"Looking over the forum, I do worry a bit now, given Harvey and China's age. I had tears running down my cheeks reading of the much-loved sadly departed piggies (and so many seem to have such short lives....). Harvey seems strong and healthy but China has always been a bit fragile - some breathing problems and a tendency to have spells of crumbly/loose poops a couple of times a year. I worry that, especially as he ages, these could become worse and perhaps not allow him as long a life."
Well, close to a year on I still have Harvey and China as they approach 5 years old in a few weeks. Obviously I know what inevitably lies ahead but I find myself thinking about and dreading their passing all too often. I still really enjoy sitting with and watching them but I find even this is often tinged with sadness and sometimes a few tears as I realise I won't have them that much longer - at best, if both are very lucky I might have two more short years with them (although probably less for China who has been prone to various ailments and I notice he moves a little stiffer now, whereas Harvey still seems the more sprightly of the two).
To begin with I looked forward to them being around about five years, which seemed a long time - but how quickly time passes! Harvey and China have been well cared for yet I know there is always an element of luck involved - as demonstrated by the Rainbow Bridge section here, which has so many instances of short lives heartbreakingly cut even shorter - so I'm very thankful I've had these almost-five years but - and I'm sure this will touch a chord with many here - I just can't bear the thought of waking up one morning or coming home from work to find one of them dead or sitting with them during their final moments. This is all part of owning a pet I know but seems to be becoming a preoccupation that I can't seem to shake off when I know I should just enjoy the present day with my beloved guinea boys as worrying of course can't change anything.
"Looking over the forum, I do worry a bit now, given Harvey and China's age. I had tears running down my cheeks reading of the much-loved sadly departed piggies (and so many seem to have such short lives....). Harvey seems strong and healthy but China has always been a bit fragile - some breathing problems and a tendency to have spells of crumbly/loose poops a couple of times a year. I worry that, especially as he ages, these could become worse and perhaps not allow him as long a life."
Well, close to a year on I still have Harvey and China as they approach 5 years old in a few weeks. Obviously I know what inevitably lies ahead but I find myself thinking about and dreading their passing all too often. I still really enjoy sitting with and watching them but I find even this is often tinged with sadness and sometimes a few tears as I realise I won't have them that much longer - at best, if both are very lucky I might have two more short years with them (although probably less for China who has been prone to various ailments and I notice he moves a little stiffer now, whereas Harvey still seems the more sprightly of the two).
To begin with I looked forward to them being around about five years, which seemed a long time - but how quickly time passes! Harvey and China have been well cared for yet I know there is always an element of luck involved - as demonstrated by the Rainbow Bridge section here, which has so many instances of short lives heartbreakingly cut even shorter - so I'm very thankful I've had these almost-five years but - and I'm sure this will touch a chord with many here - I just can't bear the thought of waking up one morning or coming home from work to find one of them dead or sitting with them during their final moments. This is all part of owning a pet I know but seems to be becoming a preoccupation that I can't seem to shake off when I know I should just enjoy the present day with my beloved guinea boys as worrying of course can't change anything.
You're right, enjoying the present is what's important.