Does Anyone Else Feel This Way? Options

[sheltiecalicolov...]

Okay, I have to admit that I'm finding myself extremely irritated when I'm around people who don't "get" the love of animals. I don't want to feel this way. I love people too, but I just don't want to be around anyone right now who doesn't understand people who have bonds with animals. I wonder if there is a gene or something, like some people can curl their tongues and some can't - maybe they can't help it and they are genetically, biologically incapable of understanding or loving animals.

I guess that sounds kind of harsh - chalk it up to grief. If my theory is correct, then they can't help it anyway, so why am I complaining...

[forduffy]

It is so good to be among all of you blessed animal lovers. I used to always believe that devotion to animals was like an awareness-a conscience that certain people are just born with. Certain members of my family had it and I was born with it. Lately, I have been coming across people who were not born with it but had developed it through a special relationship with a furbaby in their lives. My husband is one of those people who was not born with it but who has that awareness now. Trust me, we would not have gotten together otherwise. My husband was always passionate about human rights, though, so that compassion was there and he found that it easily translated into compassion for animals.
So I guess that could be along the same vein. It is that compassion that I can see as being genetically passed down.

I must admit that I do have a hard time with people who are not animal lovers. I try to rise above it and practice forgiveness, as Goliath suggests, but there are times that I am at a loss for words with them. I also have been finding an impatience with them recently since I lost Duffy. I think my grief exacerbates my feelings toward them. I do make it clear in just about every social setting where I stand and I don't care what they think of me for it. In business, this can get tricky but I find that people who don't understand it do respect it most of the times. Hey, they have to choose their battles with me and this is one with which I am unbending.