I suppose the hardest thing about owning a pet is knowing their lifespan is shorter than ours. We fall in love with our pets as we get to know them. On the other hand, our pets love us instantly. They put their trust in us for all their needs. We call them pets, but they become family as time goes by. Then certain pets become more than family to us; they become a part of us. In this post, I will be talking about two of my pets that have passed away recently. Murphy, my little poodle, passed away last night at the time I am writing this.
When our pets pass away, it is hard on us, and some make us believe that we can never have another because of the sadness we feel. Time moves on, and we end up with another pet that we know will probably pass on and break our hearts once again. We are not replacing our pets, but we need to fill the void our loved ones have left in our hearts. And then there are the ones who will hold that void open for the rest of our lives. These are the truly special ones who have touched us in a way we never thought could be possible by a creature that is not human. No matter how many others we have in our lifetime, these certain ones are always on our minds and part of our souls.
I am now in my fifties and have owned more pets than I can count on both hands, but only a few hold my heart and will hold it until the day I pass away. Usually, these are few and far between, but I have lost two in a very short time. My Siamese cat “Bear” was a very special friend of mine. She was very wild because we didn’t get to her until she was an older kitten. I guess you could say she was a feral cat. She would’ve been a great barn cat if I had let her be, but I felt a connection to her that I really can’t explain. I tamed her by feeding her small bits of cooked steak. We became great friends through the years. She would come if I called her and would even run to me if I rubbed my forefinger, middle finger, and thumb together. There was very little sound in this gesture, but this was how I would call her to me for the bits of steak I fed her. Bear was an extremely loving and obedient feline that probably should have been born a dog. Cats aren’t usually the ones that take well to training, but she was one of the exceptions. She passed away not too long ago and left a hole in my heart.
The pet that I just lost last night was my dog, Murphy. I say that he was my dog, but in all rights, he was my brother’s dog first, my mom’s, and finally mine. My brother was killed in a motorcycle accident years ago, and my mom took over full custody of Murphy. When my mom moved across the country, it was too much on her to take care of him. I became his owner, and he and I enjoyed many years together. He only knew one trick, and that was “Hide the face,” or so we called it. When my family and I would play with him, we would say, “Hide the face, Murphy,” and he would tuck his head down and cover his face with both paws. For the last three or four months of his life, he wouldn’t do this trick anymore, so we knew his time was getting close. I suppose it was hard to lose him because we came to be so close. The second part was because he was the last true thing I had left of my brother. So, in a way, I lost my brother all over again. This hit me harder than I ever believed it would. Murphy was well into his senior years, and it was just a matter of time. But I can’t seem to shake what that little fur ball meant to me. I miss my brother a great deal, and I know that Murphy too will be in my thoughts until it is my turn to leave this world behind.
I wrote this more for my own selfish needs. I need a way to move on from this sadness. However, if it brings some peace to you for your loss, then I’m glad that, in some small way, it did help. To all our loved ones, whether human or not, that we have lost along the way, I salute you for bringing love into this wicked world for us. We miss and still love you.
There is a poem that I, along with other pet owners, like to think about when our little friends pass away. The poem is about the Rainbow Bridge that we like to think our pets head to when they are gone from this earth. Here is the link to the poem for anyone who would like to read it. I suggest that if you own a pet that you love and have lost, click the link above and check it out. It will help with the sadness you feel.
One last thing I would like to say concerning all of our pets. Show love to your pets, as they have shown love for you. Never take for granted what may be gone far too soon. Their eyes look upon you with love and admiration. They deserve all the love you can give them. Trust me when I say, “You will never out-love your pet.” Take care, my friends, and remember, we are all in this together.
