Oh, boy. Our pets are part of our family and a loss is losing a loved one. Your loss and your grief hit home. We lost our buddy “Britt” (an 11 1/2 year old Brittany) back in 2004. Julie & I were with him when he went to sleep. We cried for days on end. Sometimes the pain still returns.
Frank, condolences to you. Floyd may be gone physically, but your memory of him and his life with you will never go away. Cherish it.
We now have another family member, Hans, a German Shorthair who was born shortly before Britt was put to sleep. He came home with us some months later. Hans could never “replace” Britt in our affections, but he’s become another essential member of the family. He has his own issues, allergies we can’t seem to define, and has to take Benadryl & Prednisone daily. But beyond that he’s healthy and my best buddy for sure (except for my wife, of course).
I know, as hard as it is now, Floyd’s memory will soon become a gift you can carry always. Look forward to that. It’s something to smile about...
Jim
Actually, I wanted to include some thoughts about this at the end, but figured the story had gone on too long, and so it was time to wrap it up.
I'm pretty much a stark, blunt realist. I don't believe someone or some thing "lives on" in the memories of others. I don't believe there's such a thing as a "cat heaven" any more than there is a heaven for humans with many mansions, and streets paved with gold.
What I do believe is that God and reality are Infinite, beyond the understanding of limited and finite man.
I am not disparaging the message of Christ here, no way. Christ had to explain something Infinite and Unlimited to humans with finite and limited minds, using finite and limited language and vocabulary.
God, being compassionate and magnanimous, has not created life to have it extinguished. I think all life is Eternal, all that have ever had life, are Eternal.
And so when Floyd went out of this time and place, he entered into something far beyond our understanding, and he, along with every other living thing that has touched my life, will be there when I get there.