Meaning of ‘unconditional love’

‘Unconditional love’ – this term was taught to me by my dogs. When I was a kid, my dog Tarry was not so close to my dad initially, but an inseparable bond was developed between them later on. Whenever my dad returned home from his office, Tarry welcomed, greeted and respected him as master of the house. Even when my dad went abroad for work trips, he had to speak with Tarry on phone and then he would eat his food. The day when my dad got a heart attack and rushed to the hospital, Tarry’s health also went down real bad. All this is just true love these furry companions have for their family.

 
 
 
 
Kaizer, whom I brought home when I was in college, used to get very excited when I came home from college and later from work. If I came back and locked my room door, he
Kaizer
would knock the door like a human and ask me to open the door for him to come and sleep on my bed or if the door was open, he just pushed it with his paw and came straight inside.
 
Tarry

After I got married, I had a dog called Richie who was sweet and most obedient one I ever had seen. I could talk to him with my eyes. I didn’t need words to express or say anything to him. He would just understand things. Whenever I visited my mom’s place he would stop eating, sit and sulk. Then I always came back and fed him. He would understand my love towards him and he always gave me his ‘unconditional love’.

Animals love you for what you are and not for what they want from you. They will love you without any expectations and without any return from you. They look up to you as their master and will give their life for you. In today’s world, humans keep pets as a status symbol, peer pressure and some genuinely as they love them. But when this sweet little furry baby comes to your house, leaving his parents, he is scarred initially, afraid of the new surroundings, misses his mom and dad. But gradually he takes you as his master, obeys all what you say and takes you as his family. As he showers such unconditional love in every way to you in his own way, you will also learn the meaning of ‘unconditional love’ which I have today.

–Snigddha Kar Gosalia, Mumbai (in memories of Tarry, Kaizer and Richie).