Lola’s POV: Falling in Love Again

I’m not usually one to mourn, but I did. I struggled opening my heart and loving again before I fell into a place of grief and tears. My soul was just not ready to let go of such a beautiful chapter in my life to open a new one with anybody else. But as I began to contemplate the possibility of falling in love again, I grew more excited. So I took a road trip around the island, and found love in the shape of a 2-pound bundle of joy we now call Mia.

After losing Paco, the 13-year-old beagle who I shared most of my life with, I thought I would never find a love like his and couldn’t conceive the notion of possibly engaging in any other relationship with any pet, because I didn’t want to suffer any more than what I had when Paco passed. But I started getting so many signs and signals that I began to question my decision until there was no denying that it was time to welcome another member into my family. It so happens my mother was feeling the same way. Soon enough I was in my car on my way to a dog shelter, visiting dogs that were up for adoption. As I walked in the shelter, I was drawn to a pair of beautiful brown eyes that looked up at me. I felt complete. After the intricate adoption process of sitting on the floor, playing with a new friend, and falling even deeper in awe with her, our choice was made. We took her in, and she was welcomed into our family.

Happy and cozy in her forever home, the newest addition to our family: Mia Mor Montilla (Photo: Courtesy of Lola Montilla)

The fact that we become so attached to such different yet simple creatures is surreal. We grow fond of their energy that keeps us upbeat and the empathy that translates into them resting their head on your chest when you’re sad. Humans are selfish though; we become so attached to the idea of having a pet, then when the unfortunate happens, we don’t want to open up to the idea of even coming close to falling in love with another pet. We become so scared of our fear of suffering that we close-off to the opportunity of opening our hearts to other pets and giving them a forever home. And that’s what got to me. Death is just an unavoidable fact of life, and no one reminds us more of that more than our pets, but now, I see that the best way to honor the relationship I had with my lost pet, is to give another one the fantastic life that they had the opportunity to live. I firmly believe that everyone should feel loved, and have the chance to love – and that is no different for pets.

Note from the author: August 18th, hundreds of shelters will get together in the national Clear the Shelters event which has found more than 150,000 pets their forever homes since 2015; but there is a need for pet adoption all year long.  If there’s room in your home and your heart for a furry new family member, visit https://www.cleartheshelters.com to find a shelter near you.