"Separate Lifetimes
"We who choose to surround ourselves
with lives even more temporary than our
own, live within a fragile circle;
easily, and often breached.
Unable to accept its awful gaps,
we would still live no other way.
We cherish memory as the only
certain immortality, never fully
understanding the necessarily plan...
"Anonymous."
I was recently given this after the death in February of my 17-year-old beagle mix, whose passing hurts me every passing day. Reading it helps me somewhat and I keep hoping that the pain will ease. But it doesn't.
Maybe this passage will help someone else.
Possum,
I had a little toy silver poodle for 13 years, and when I lost her to a heart attack, it broke my heart. I actually grieved over her for about a year.I still dream about her often, and think of her everyday.
I had carried her around in my arms for 13 years, knew from the look on her face when she was hurting, scared, etc. She was my baby. Every night I'd lay her on my bed, and take a warm bath cloth and clean her face and around her eyes. She loved it.
My Mother has a Pomeranian that is 15, and yesterday I took Mom to the doctor and she was telling me how her dog is trembling, sick, and Mom doesn't know what else to do for her baby. I looked in the little Pomeraniam's eyes and could tell she is close to the end of her life. She, like my poodle, would attack an elephant to save my Mom.
My Mom will be 80 next September. And when she loses this little dog it will devastate her. But I can see it is coming. My Mom has taken better care of this dog than many people take care of their children.
The pain will ease with time, but it hurts to lose a friend, a friend who will lick the tears from your eyes, and love you unconditionally when nobody else will.
I think animals like dogs and cats are angels. They are here for us a short time, but they teach us a lot about unconditional love in that short period.