We all get ???teary-eyed??? once in a while, either about something very personal or about a sad event on the news -- perhaps more frequent since ???9/11???. The reasons are endless, and this is not meant to be an endless story. I believe that holding back on actual heavy crying shows no less depth in our sadness. Actually, without the release of a ???good cry???, we hurt even more.

For perspective only: please recall that some politicians, not just the one in CA, by the way, have proposed the elimination or reduction of animal shelters for lost or stray pets, as a way to save money. I will write only that I wish for them that they could fully understand the importance of recovering a pet and the importance of animal friends in God??™s universe. They must have forgotten Coleridge??™s ???Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner??? that ???He made and loveth all....??? Or they need to read it. Or they need their own animal friend.

In total practicality, pets render immense service in our society, from providing immense comfort to those in residential facilities to waking us to a fire or an intruder. Each of us has some element of sadness in our lives. Pets are obviously a comfort which we could find in no other source. (To Arnold: ???Sie wissen, es war kein Missverstandnis. Sie haben einfach einen Fehler gemacht.  Ueberlegen Sie, bitte!???)

Now may I explain the cause of this little essay?

My daughter lives in  Brooklyn Heights, a beautiful area, and works at a great fashion and design firm in the greatest city of the world, NYC. She visited us recently in the Buffalo, NY area.

All visits come to an end. The most difficult to end are visits home.

Before boarding her flight back to NYC, she cried in a very controlled way, keeping most sadness inside -- a very normal reaction. She was going back to the city of eight million but away from friends and family.

But she has a little friend, a Yorkie, whom she takes almost everywhere with her. A smart and caring little canine.

I was amazed at the reaction of this little Yorkie to seeing those tears.

At the Buffalo-Niagara Airport, her Yorkie stretched to her and carefully licked her tears.  She did a very thorough job. All around her eyes!  She even caused three slight smiles.

The value of our animal friends?

Priceless in any commodity.

VGAgee@aol.com -- rev. 7/15/04 reserved.