I saw the spot this morning, where Mr.Poppy’s litter tray always sat, where he would frequently be seen sitting, or cleaning. It’s now a place for a shopping basket and garden shoes.
I felt the pain of loss immediately, just as I feel it again writing this. The pain of loss and grief.
And thinking about Nigella’s future, about palliative care for her, exacerbates the experience.
Grief will pass.
Memories are important to keep alive.
I spent a lot of time with and around Nigella this morning. More thorough cleaning up than normal. I wanted to be around her space, wanted to connect with her as I’m not often around the house any more.
Connection heightens the thoughts of mortality and endings.
And while the pain hurts, it is a good thing to remember.
Pets as family.
The time you spend with them each day, loving, caring, and connecting. Particularly when the pet is a mammal, is an intelligent personality who seeks you out at times. It’s a very human thing, to care for animals, to seek solace in their company, and in their simple child-like understanding.
And so they are remembered, as they were our children. They were who we had together. They are reminders of happy times, of life together. They are meaning and love, as we were.
All things pass, in time.
Are the most precious memories, of those we cared for, of those we held as their life slipped away? For we carried them through their life, held them at the end, and cried together. We will soon cry together again, for one more time. Only once more.
Bittersweet memories.
May we always hold onto the joy that there was, the adventure, the fun and connection. This is all that makes us human.
42 Days Younger than Kylie 