It’s been over a week since Sparkles died, and the orange cat doesn’t have to share any of the sunlight or the food or the litter box.
While she was sick, it was always a chore to clean up after her, but I knew one day I would be sad she wasn’t around. And today I look at the litter box and I am sad not to see her mess!
Thank you to everyone who read about her last days and commiserated with me in my grief. Several people mentioned they started reading the posts at work and began crying and couldn’t stop. I feel better after I have expressed grief, although I don’t know why that is. I feel washed and purified.
Other people mentioned that they grieved for others when reading her story. I know when my mom died, every little thing that upset me brought that grief back. Like a touchstone, other stories of sadness link back and back through our lives like a string of pearls, moving from one bead to the next. These days I don’t find myself crying over my mom, but that was 18 years ago, so the pain has mellowed.
Feel free to use the comment part of this blog to share any stories of pet loss you have; we all learn from each others’ experiences. The goal, I think, is not to be stronger, but to know there are others who have been there, too, and we are not alone. You can also read the story of the loss of my dog, Angel, in a free pdf by clicking on the book cover in the top right corner of every page on this site.
