Wow. It's been a year already. It absolutely doesn't seem like one. It seems like only yesterday my Coo-Bear was gorging himself on his favorite food(s) and jumping off the bed with enough force to knock hanging pictures off the walls in the living room haha (I guess ~38lbs of pure cat will do that when launched from a 3' high bed lol).
The bottom line is I grieved for that cat harder than I've ever grieved before. Everyone thinks their pet is special, but Cooper truly was. I've met tons of cats in my lifetime and owned a few as well, and none of them ever displayed the true affection for their owner like Cooper did. He was my companion through the hardest times of my life, and was simply my friend.
I'm not over losing him, and never will be, but the grief has lessened over the months and now I just want to remember him. It's hard though because I still tear up when I think about him and still can't watch the movies I have of him or look at pictures. I guess I just don't want that pain to come back. I haven't even opened the box his ashes are in yet. It just sits up on the mantel.
Those first few months after he passed I felt like the wind had been permanently knocked out of me. I became depressed and withdrew even more. I've never been good at loss, and this was monumental. I've lost grandparents and girlfriends and felt heartbreak before, but the sheer pain I felt from Cooper's passing was a whole level beyond anything I'd ever felt. I lost 10lbs grieving for him.
So I just wanted to check in and bump this thread on the 1st anniversary of my beloved Bear's crossing of the bridge. My heart is still heavy, and not a day goes by I don't remember him in some way or another. His impact on my life was as large as he was. The 38lb hole he punched in my heart when he died still hasn't closed, and I think never will.
For those of you who have just lost a pet; my heart goes out to you. Just know people do understand what you're feeling and that the time you had with your beloved animal is nothing but a gift. I've had to wade through my own grief with Cooper, but absolutely would go through it again 10 times over again as the ~8 years we had together were easily the best of my life. He was a king of kings; at least in my household, and when he died a piece of me died with him. It was worth it though. I'm just blessed that I was the one who got to own such an amazing animal. Not many people get the chance to own such a wonderful animal as he was.
I'm long-winded, sorry about the novel heh, but it takes that much writing to get out what I'm trying to say. I will always remember Cooper, and will always hurt from losing him, but when it's all boiled down; the bottom line is that his loss was inevitable and I'm just glad I was with him in his last moments and he didn't suffer and was comfortable as he drew his last breath. In the end that's all that matters. Death is part of life for all living creatures. Cherish the time you have because it's not forever.
Rest In Peace Cooper. I still can't believe you're gone my good friend. Gone, but never forgotten. I will remember you until the day I die. Then maybe we can be re-united for eternity, not in earthly form, but as the stardust from which we came. On that deep and complex level a human mind can't fathom. I look forward to our next meeting and hope you remember me too. I will of course bring your favorite food, and have some new stuff your brother loves that I think you'd love as well. I wish we'd have had more time together, but I understand you had to go. I just miss you a ton. It's as simple as that.
The bottom line is I grieved for that cat harder than I've ever grieved before. Everyone thinks their pet is special, but Cooper truly was. I've met tons of cats in my lifetime and owned a few as well, and none of them ever displayed the true affection for their owner like Cooper did. He was my companion through the hardest times of my life, and was simply my friend.
I'm not over losing him, and never will be, but the grief has lessened over the months and now I just want to remember him. It's hard though because I still tear up when I think about him and still can't watch the movies I have of him or look at pictures. I guess I just don't want that pain to come back. I haven't even opened the box his ashes are in yet. It just sits up on the mantel.
Those first few months after he passed I felt like the wind had been permanently knocked out of me. I became depressed and withdrew even more. I've never been good at loss, and this was monumental. I've lost grandparents and girlfriends and felt heartbreak before, but the sheer pain I felt from Cooper's passing was a whole level beyond anything I'd ever felt. I lost 10lbs grieving for him.
So I just wanted to check in and bump this thread on the 1st anniversary of my beloved Bear's crossing of the bridge. My heart is still heavy, and not a day goes by I don't remember him in some way or another. His impact on my life was as large as he was. The 38lb hole he punched in my heart when he died still hasn't closed, and I think never will.
For those of you who have just lost a pet; my heart goes out to you. Just know people do understand what you're feeling and that the time you had with your beloved animal is nothing but a gift. I've had to wade through my own grief with Cooper, but absolutely would go through it again 10 times over again as the ~8 years we had together were easily the best of my life. He was a king of kings; at least in my household, and when he died a piece of me died with him. It was worth it though. I'm just blessed that I was the one who got to own such an amazing animal. Not many people get the chance to own such a wonderful animal as he was.
I'm long-winded, sorry about the novel heh, but it takes that much writing to get out what I'm trying to say. I will always remember Cooper, and will always hurt from losing him, but when it's all boiled down; the bottom line is that his loss was inevitable and I'm just glad I was with him in his last moments and he didn't suffer and was comfortable as he drew his last breath. In the end that's all that matters. Death is part of life for all living creatures. Cherish the time you have because it's not forever.
Rest In Peace Cooper. I still can't believe you're gone my good friend. Gone, but never forgotten. I will remember you until the day I die. Then maybe we can be re-united for eternity, not in earthly form, but as the stardust from which we came. On that deep and complex level a human mind can't fathom. I look forward to our next meeting and hope you remember me too. I will of course bring your favorite food, and have some new stuff your brother loves that I think you'd love as well. I wish we'd have had more time together, but I understand you had to go. I just miss you a ton. It's as simple as that.
