Tag Archives: sympathy

Sympathy Cards for a Lost Pet

It feels like I’ve been signing a lot of sympathy cards at the cats-only boarding facility lately. As much as I hate to think about it, our pets just don’t live as long as we’d like them to. It’s a sad coincidence that we’ve had several guests pass away in relatively quick succession. Sometimes, I don’t know what to say. I do my best to find something to love about each and every cat that comes through our doors. When I’m writing out the card, I try to remember some special moment I shared with the pet — some fond … Continue reading →

Hurt Paw = Sympathy Windfall

I mean to tell you, Murph has not minded his hurt paw very much. Another title for this blog could have easily been: “Murph Makes Out Like a Bandit.” That’s what’s happened ever since Murphy’s fan club got word of his demise. The Vet It all started when my friend Brenda sent Murph a care package. Inside was a note from her dog Mocha hoping Murph would get well soon, as well as a stuffed vet toy. When I thanked her, Brenda emailed me back and said, “I wasn’t really thinking. I guess he can’t really play right now.” “Oh … Continue reading →

Murph’s One Dog Who’s Not Faking a Limp for Sympathy

The other day I wrote about dogs who fake limps for sympathy after our vet and a neighbor told me stories about dogs they knew who’d done that. Murph’s not one of them. Bent Paw Last night I noticed Murph’s hurt paw looked really weird (awful is more like it) when he was putting pressure on it. It was sort of caved in. The best way I know how to describe it is to tell you to look at your wrist. Put it flat, then flex your hand back with your fingers reaching for the sky. That dip in your … Continue reading →

Dogs Who Fake Limps for Sympathy

At Mr. Meow’s Thursday vet appointment to check his lump (which was nothing, just a reaction to his rabies shot. Phew!), I also touched based with the vet about Murphy’s hurt paw. (He’s still limping.) Healing Takes Time We know it’s not broken, because x-rays confirmed that. It could be something’s wrong with the tendons. But before the vet refers us to a specialist, she wants us to finish up the anti-inflammatory medication she prescribed Murph. She’s hoping we don’t have to go the specialist route. She’s encouraged by the fact the swelling has gone down, and hopes it stays … Continue reading →

Empathy, Sympathy or Pity?

Empathy in parenting, friendship, and life is important—it allows us to connect with other people and have rich and valuable relationships. Not only can we share our empathy with others, but we also need to feel it come in our direction. Sympathy is another one of those emotions of understanding that can be shared. Where we can get into trouble, however, is when empathy and sympathy become pity… I don’t know about you, but I do NOT want people to feel sorry for me and I know that when I find myself feeling sorry for other people, whether it is … Continue reading →

Keeping Personal Experience in Perspective

There have always been a great many things about my children that remind me of ME when I was their age. Sometimes the looks they give me, or the color of their hair or some of the things they say are triggers for a stroll down memory lane; other times the things they are going through seem eerily reminiscent of experiences that I had. Still, I have had to learn that they are not simply re-living my life and they are NOT me—I have to keep my own personal experiences in check and allow and appreciate their separate lives and … Continue reading →