Wooly Comfort

For anyone that needs a smile and a moment of comfort, after reading Psalms, and donning a prayer shawl, perhaps the next most potent balm to sadness is to visit a rabbitry. And for extra magical joy, visit an angora rabbit rabbitry. My son Matthias and wife Karissa decided that demands of law school notwithstanding, they wanted a pet. They knew a dog was perhaps more than they could handle at this stage of their life, but perhaps a rabbit would be ok. Rabbits don't need walks, or letting out, or really much care at all other than cage cleaning and cuddling. And better yet, Angora Rabbits look just like the Tribles on the old Star Trek show. They are impossibly soft and cuddly with long hair that covers their face entirely. You have to smooth the hair away to even know there is a rabbit under all that fluff. Their ears stand up on the bottom half, and flop over on top with long silky hair.

When we arrived at the Rabbitry, an hour from our home, the owner plopped 3 month old bunnies in each of our arms. Within moments, the resolve to "just look" had melted into 4 potential sales. Asherel's bunny curled into her arms like a newborn baby, and fell asleep. Matt kept kissing his bunny. Karissa looked rapturous. I held the bunnies and wondered if they would take trade-ins on our dogs and bird...

The Angora rabbit is an ideal pet for the lazy pet owner who cannot move much and just wants an instant blood pressure reducer. They are almost uniformly docile and mellow. None of the rabbits we picked up did anything but melt into our arms and seemed to enjoy the stroking and petting, which no one who holds an Angora rabbit can help but do. They require little care except feeding and grooming. You must groom Angora's regularly or they get "wool balls" in their guts from self grooming, and since among their other lovely features, cannot vomit or pass gas, the wool balls kill them.

"I want this one," said Asherel beseechingly.
"We'll take this one," said Matt and Karissa.
"Can I live here?" I asked.

So, Matt and Karissa will pick up their bunny after Christmas break on their way back to law school. Their little snuggly study bunny will be the most spoiled rabbit on earth. They have already researched rabbit strollers, rabbit spring and summer outfits, rabbit harnesses, and rabbit carry purses. Even the two hour drive home in rush hour traffic did not obliterate the peace instilled in each of us from the rabbit therapy.

The comfort of God's word and God's people is critical. The comfort of His soft fuzzy creatures should not be underestimated.

Matthew 5:4 (NIV)
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.


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