Reply #17: My animals are a big cushion.

[LWolf]

I live alone. I am surrounded by people at work who need me. I have a few family members; 2 grown sons, one grandson, and a mother. That's the sum and total of extended family, and I am the fulcrum that supports our little family. I am the meeter of needs; my role in the family. Not that they won't be there for me in dire circumstances; but as a general rule, I'm the giver, not the receiver. None of those few family members live in the same community; they are scattered across two states.

So when I say I live alone, I don't just mean that no one shares my home. I mean that no one shares my life. I am responsible for the whole thing. There is no one there to pick up the slack if I'm tired, or sick, or if my car breaks down or my house needs repairs. There is no one there to provide conversation or to share recreational time with. It's just me.

The best part of my day is when I get home from work, and no one needs me to listen to them. My animals have needs; I have to feed them, care for them, groom them, etc., but they are simple needs. They give as much as they take, which is more than I can say for any people I've ever had in my life. They offer unconditional and undemanding love and companionship, and I'm literally never lonely.