His name is Albert -- Albert Einstein. Charlie and I loved our golden-haired Teddy Bear hamster, Albert, who loved us, but never really showed his affection.
He also loved his stuffed babies and would kiss (or reach out and touch) each and every one, before going to bed at night.
When we found him, he was a fully grown golden-haired icon of hamsters everywhere. He was the envy of all "hamsterdom." In amazement we watched as he sat regal between two "moms" in opposite corners with their tiny worm-like charges - all snug in their bed.
I mumbled to Charlie, something like, "this can't be - pregnant moms kill any male hamster nearby"...BUT HERE HE WAS, right smack dab between, not only one fully nursing hamsterette, but TWO -- We just had to have him!
WELL, IT STARTED OUT BADLY. Albert was crawling out of the store box they gave us, so while Charlie drove, I held him cupped between my hands; but...Charlie reached out with his free hand, Albert ducked inside, then Charlie stuck his finger down in the little pocket I had made - Albert felt threatened and bit him good inside the quick of his fingernail.
I thought, "well that's it - back to the store."
HOWEVER, Charlie took it pretty well, and he was "ours" now.
We had about three good years with our golden-haired boy, but he was pretty old when we got him. We shared our food with him. Held him while he bathed, and bathed, an bathed himself, till he fell fast asleep...upside-down in our hand...with his mouth wide opened - and we could swear he was snoring.
We babied Albert the last few months we had him, but he was on his way out. We worked really hard to save our tiny guy and somehow, he must have known how much effort we put into him. Though, Albert was never one to show any affection.
I thought, "well that's it - back to the store."
HOWEVER, Charlie took it pretty well, and he was "ours" now.
We had about three good years with our golden-haired boy, but he was pretty old when we got him. We shared our food with him. Held him while he bathed, and bathed, an bathed himself, till he fell fast asleep...upside-down in our hand...with his mouth wide opened - and we could swear he was snoring.
We babied Albert the last few months we had him, but he was on his way out. We worked really hard to save our tiny guy and somehow, he must have known how much effort we put into him. Though, Albert was never one to show any affection.
HOWEVER, before he died, he made sure to say "goodbye" to us. He came over, and first climbed into my lap, looked deeply into my eyes; next, he hobbled over to Charlie, climbed into his lap and looked deeply into his eyes.
Then he crawled into his little miniature house that we had in his cage and died. We cried like babies, and were also angry at him for telling us "goodbye" in such a beautiful, warm and loving way (something he never had done before) - we said, why did he break our heart s-o-o-h?!
Then he crawled into his little miniature house that we had in his cage and died. We cried like babies, and were also angry at him for telling us "goodbye" in such a beautiful, warm and loving way (something he never had done before) - we said, why did he break our heart s-o-o-h?!
I STILL CRY to this day thinking about it - I cried writing this just now. Yes, we are so grateful that he told us "goodbye" - even though it hurts to think of it, we are glad to have this memory, of so great a tiny creature that God gave SUCH a BIG HEART.
YES, these little creatures give us a glimpse into God's intense feelings for us - His VERY DEEP and BOTTOMLESS well of LOVE; so much so, that He bothered to imbue even the teensiest of creatures with a type of affection and attraction for us humans that tug a special way upon our emotions.
Thank you God for this love, IN THIS WAY; even as you have revealed your GRAND LOVE in another way - your Son upon that horrid cross! It is still YOUR LOVE...in another way....but anything but, "JUST another way."
YES, these little creatures give us a glimpse into God's intense feelings for us - His VERY DEEP and BOTTOMLESS well of LOVE; so much so, that He bothered to imbue even the teensiest of creatures with a type of affection and attraction for us humans that tug a special way upon our emotions.
Thank you God for this love, IN THIS WAY; even as you have revealed your GRAND LOVE in another way - your Son upon that horrid cross! It is still YOUR LOVE...in another way....but anything but, "JUST another way."
February 3, 2014
