Today is one of those anniversaries. The kind of day we all have where you remember hour for hour what you were doing and when it ended. I'm sitting here all teary eyed, but thinking how inappropriate my feelings really are. Most TCS members give their pets every chance for a full and comfortable life. Sometimes the luck of the draw ends it early, and sometimes old age merely catches up with them.
Every year millions of dogs and cats die without ever knowing a warm bed or a decent meal. My Rusty was so fortunate. He had a home, food, veterinary care and all the attention he ever wanted. And while I do miss him, I realize that he had it all. I cry for every one of my lost friends, but this is the first time I've actually considered that maybe I'm only feeling sorry for myself. There are so many neglected animals deserving of my tears. I think I need to start celebrating those lives that meant so much to me, instead of marking dates on the calendar to mourn them.
Perhaps some of you have had these same thoughts. I almost feel guilty if I don't mourn on the day I lost them. I feel like I have relive it and if I don't, I'm slighting their memory in some way. Letting go is not one of my strong suits, but I need to. Maybe I'm not the only one?
Every year millions of dogs and cats die without ever knowing a warm bed or a decent meal. My Rusty was so fortunate. He had a home, food, veterinary care and all the attention he ever wanted. And while I do miss him, I realize that he had it all. I cry for every one of my lost friends, but this is the first time I've actually considered that maybe I'm only feeling sorry for myself. There are so many neglected animals deserving of my tears. I think I need to start celebrating those lives that meant so much to me, instead of marking dates on the calendar to mourn them.
Perhaps some of you have had these same thoughts. I almost feel guilty if I don't mourn on the day I lost them. I feel like I have relive it and if I don't, I'm slighting their memory in some way. Letting go is not one of my strong suits, but I need to. Maybe I'm not the only one?