What's upsetting you today?

[glatt]

My old cat did that to me one time when I was breathing funny. I think it's mostly instinct.

I didn't watch the video either, because I'm not supposed to from work. I'd point out that often, our imagination is worse that reality. You may find that if you watch the video a few times, you'll be desensitized to it and it won't bug you as much. Easy for me to say, since I haven't seen the video, but it's quite likely. When I see video of the planes hitting the WTC now, I feel pretty much nothing. I was pretty overwhelmed when I saw it the first time.

[DanaC]

When I was in my teens we had two westies. They were four years apart. When Wellington started to become infirm, losing his sight and hearing, Dudley became his guide. He'd circle him and nudge him in the right direction if he was about to walk into something, or if he was drifting too far in the wrong direction. Wasn't even a herding breed.

When Wellington died, Dudley pined for a long time. Initially for almost the entire time. Went off his food, cried and whined, howled, went to all of Wellington's spots and lay down in them. After a couple of days he began to settle down a litte, but he still had times when he was really unsettled and seemed to be looking for Wellington. At particular times when he would have usually expected Wellington to be by him, like feeding time, and walking time. And bedtime too. He still whined sometimes at bedtime, even a few weeks later.

[infinite monkey]

I understand that about animals. I suppose we could get into an argument about what animals 'feel' but I know that I have different feelings on the subject than some. It's much too sensitive a subject to broach with my friends who feel otherwise, for me.

But I should desensitize myself? No, thank you.

Some people should 'sensitize' themselves.

I'd hate to think if it were a dog video.

[infinite monkey]

classic, sorry, really. I know you didn't mean it in a bad way.

I'm in a bad place, and that was just too much.

[jimhelm]

I watched it about 2/3 of the way.

the cat seemed to be kneading the dead one like they do when they nurse... but then, as he continued to do it, then checked for breath.. i wondered if the cat were performing cpr instinctively. he's pushing and pushing on the spot just behind the forward arm, where the heart lies on a quadrupedal animal. and he's sitting on him the whole time, which I also found odd.

[classicman]

I think he was trying to keep him warm as well.

[Undertoad]

But even we mighty humans didn't know about CPR until the 1900s, didn't even know about the nature of the heart and bloodflow until when, the 1600s? If anything, it might have been a kind of instinctive first aid.

[DucksNuts]

It was yesterday....but when I was at work, I caught a familiar figure and motion out the corner of my eye....an old man hunched over leaning on his shopping trolley, arms crossed over it, with a great big head of grey thick hair and a solid figure. I swung around with a big grin to greet my Dad, to see that it wasnt my Dad (of course) but just another older man.

Im sure he wondered why the smiley girl's demeanor changed so quickly.

I miss my Dad

[DanaC]

Oh honey

[Big Sarge]

Aww girl. Maybe you were supposed to see that to rekindle some special (happy) memories. There are angels among us

[Aliantha]

It's awful when your brain is overtaken by your emotions and you just totally forget for a second that someone is gone. It's happened to me before too, so I know how gut wrenching it is.

Sorry mate.

[DucksNuts]

Thanks guys

Because I am so much younger than my siblings and stayed close to my parents, I think its hit me a lot harder than them and my Mum was just relieved when he passed - so none of them can understand why I still spontaneously burst into tears.

Like down fishing with the kids, I'll tear up because he would be so proud of the dedicated Fisherman Tyler is becoming and I am sad he's not here to enjoy this part of their lives.

I havent recovered from the shock of Christmas without him I think...this was my undoing on Christmas morning

[DanaC]

I'm not even playing that song. I know it'll floor me.

Oh, Ducks, honey. I know what that's like. That moment of false recognition. I still get it sometimes. Though less often now. From time to time I'll see Dad. Silly because he never lived around my town. Yet I sometimes see him shopping there.


And from time to time, I'll feel a rush of pride over some academic achievement or other, or a landmark passed, or even just a really clever idea for a poem. And for just a second I'm rehearsing the phonecall to tell him.

*hugs*

It does get easier. Takes time, but it does. Still knocks me a little off kilter sometimes, but the gutwrenching body blow that such things used to bring has softened a great deal.

[infinite monkey]

I don't know what it's like, I can't even imagine. I feel for you, though, Ducks. I can't really add to anything already said but I hope your happy memories get you through.

[Aliantha]

My Mum features an awful lot in my dreams. I'm talking 2 or 3 times a week at least I have a memorable dream that she's in. The one i had this morning was incredibly vivid, and Mum wasn't even actually visible, but I was talking to her on the phone. Aden was only little and I was at my friend Clem's place and he was cooking dinner but it was late, so I called Mum to say I'd be home in a couple of hours. The funny part was, it was only me and Aden. No Mav or Max or Dazza.

It was a nice dream all the same though. There were other parts to it too, but they were kinda weird. Something to do with an agricultural show and animals getting loose and all sorts of weird stuff.