In remembrance of Hamilton. 

October 2(ish), 2009 - March 4, 2011

I came home from Japan to find out he had died while I was gone. I loved him so much & I know he loved me in his hamster sort of way. When I got him, I knew his time with me would be short, so I tried to give him everything. I spared no expense—the silent super-spinning wheel, the most expensive freeze-dried fruits, a school bus to travel in.

I tried to make sure that when he died I wouldn’t have any regrets & I think I did a pretty good job of that. With a hamster, it’s easy to do because the perimeters are small. To show him love was simple & to exceed his every need didn’t cost very much. We could never fight; I could never disappoint. With people it’s a lot harder.

I am heartbroken about Hamilton. But in my sadness, I’ve thought about the friends & family that I love. The people who texted me & emailed me & prayed for me while I was in Tokyo during the earthquake. The people who hugged me & let me cry about Hammy. I want to renew my approach to them in light of my time with Hammy. Love them more. Try to take better care of them. It won’t be as close to perfect. Human relationships are more complicated than that. But life is short & we should love more & live with fewer regrets.

Thank you for the memories Hamilton. We will never forget you.