A Shadow without Sunlight - Jan/Feb 11

by Kelli Clem

You may be wondering why an insurance agency chose a pet charity to promote a quote drive. Well, simply put, all of us at AIM Insurance love and appreciate how much our pets genuinely enrich our lives and we want others to share such an unconditional love and companionship.
Over a decade ago I chose to adopt what has since become one of the loves of my life.

This is My Story
It wasn’t unusual of me to stop by the local animal shelter to visit the runaways, tossed-away, orphaned, captured and incarcerated.  It seemed no matter the kind of day I’d had, their eager faces, wagging tails and soulful eyes filled me with purpose.
Many times I sensed we shared a mutual appreciation; I was the highlight of their day and they were mine. Leaving was always a little sad but the positive far outweighed any negative so I continued my visits. Little did I know today’s visit would set off a sequence of events that would alter my life forever. When I arrived, the officer on duty said her usual hellos then informed me of 6 new puppies that had arrived shortly after my last visit. The urgency in her commentary made it clear that time was of the essence especially for one little pup they had found wandering along the side of a busy city street. Naturally, my curiosity got the best of me so off to the puppy room I went.

The Little Wanderer
Within a few seconds I spotted the little wanderer. She was a tiny black ball of electricity, excitement and pure mischief. My presence only exacerbated her energy level. She bounced, barked and begged to be freed from her concrete and chain link prison. My resistance was futile. Against the facility rules, I opened the kennel. Eager to be freed from her confines she pushed at the door using more ferocious persistence and sheer determination than muscle and grit. Weighing in at only 4 pounds and 6 inches tall, muscle and grit simply weren’t options. Once freed, she shot out like a rocket barking, growling and desperately wanting to chew anything, including my shoes strings, pant cuffs, hair and fingers. Excitement filled the air as the other pups began to feed off of the energy being exchanged between us. Even they understood our immediate connection. Although, our bond was undeniable, I wasn’t quite ready to fully commit. We played a while longer then I hesitantly returned her to the cold empty kennel and set out to return to my solo life.

For the Sake of My Sanity
Two days had passed and I couldn’t tolerate the thought of her being alone in such an empty place. For the sake of my sanity I would stop by the shelter after work telling myself if she was still there I would seriously consider adoption.
As I entered the shelter the attendant greeted me with a wide smile and asked if I had returned to see the free spirited black puppy. She continued, “We had a little scare this morning. The pup wasn’t in her kennel when we arrived. She must have gotten lonely because she tunneled through the 5” drain pipe that connects her kennel to the Sharpei litter in the kennel next door.”
Momentarily my heart ached and tears began to flood my eyes because I had been feeling the same loneliness inside myself recently. Clearly, I needed her as much as she needed me. My tears turned to laughter as I pictured this tiny black ball of fur weaseling her way through the drain pipe to snuggle down in a furry cushion of warm, velvety, caramel Sharpei wrinkles. At that moment I suspected she would infect me with love but I could never have fathomed the abundance and depths it would reach.

My Decision was Final
My decision was final — to have left her behind that day would have meant leaving a piece of my own heart in that cold lonely shelter. Later that evening the adoption papers were signed and we set out on our adventurous journey together.
Since that day almost 12 years ago we have been inseparable. My family jokes and says that she is my shadow. I smile and tell them, “No longer does my shadow depend on whether the sun chooses to shine; my shadow has 4 legs that still lend themselves to misadventure from time to time, tussled black fur that reminds me of my favorite stuffed animal when I was a child and floppy ears that are soft enough to rival the most exquisite cashmere from far-away places. My shadow has the spirit of a lion yet the innocence of a newborn baby; my shadow loves without reservation and is loyal beyond human comprehension; my shadow has a name, she is called Freeda.”

There are many animals just like Freeda in shelters across the U.S. waiting patiently to become a member of your family and eagerly teach you, in their own exclusive way, the meaning of unconditional love. Please help us support the animals that have been lucky enough to have found a temporary home with Animal Haven.  Even if you aren’t quite ready to fully commit to adoption your donation will make a difference. 
For the love of all animals just like my Freeda, call or email us today.

Save-a-Pet Program Description
Who:    AIM Insurance, Community America Credit Union and Animal Haven Shelter
What:    Insurance quote program that helps support Animal Haven with monetary funding.
When:    January 1, 2011 —  June 30, 2011
How:    During the above time frame, each insurance quote we complete will count as a monetary donation to Animal Haven. In July, 2011, AIM will present our donation to Animal Haven.
Why:    Simply put, all of us at AIM Insurance love and appreciate how much our pets genuinely enrich our lives. We want others to share such an unconditional love and companionship.

What Can You Do?
Whether you need home, auto, renters, motorcycle, boat, or commercial insurance — call Kelli at AIM at 913-451-9246 to get a quote. AIM has the ability to quickly find the best insurance products for you!
And, each quote will be entered into a quarterly drawing for prizes from our sponsors.

Kelli Clem is the Agency Manager at Aim Insurance. After acquiring her insurance licenses in 1994, she worked inside of a local agency servicing both personal and commercial insurance. She has enjoyed success in servicing different industries and is very focused on providing quality insurance products and services. In 2001, she was married and settled in northern Miami County. Aside from her little Freeda, she also has Teke, a Blue Heeler mix that strayed into her life on Thanksgiving Day 2003, and Kidge, her husband’s cat who wants little or nothing to do with her unless it’s cookie time!