As the one year anniversary of my cat Bootsy approaches I am struggling with an onslaught of sadness. He died on Cinco De Mayo of all things, but in reality any day someone dies is forever ingrained in your memory. This little guy was so special. He loved me from the minute he laid eyes on me and held on as tight to me on our last ride together as he did the first time I carried him to my car 19 years ago.The day he died was a stormy day. There was a break in the clouds and the sun shone thru when his soul was released. I thought I had released the sadness months ago but it has been creeping up for over a week now. Admittedly I am slow to heal from the loss of my pets. I lost Bootsy a year and a half after my beloved Muffin. Both of these soul friends were with me many years. Muffin for just about 20 and Bootsy for 18. I know I am blessed to be able to have shared so many years with them yet still I miss them both very much. In our society people often discount any prolonged mourning for a pet which is unfortunate. For that matter, our society discourages prolonged mourning for any lost person. The mentality here in our country is to pick yourself up, get out there, and put it behind you. In reality each person must mourn at their own pace and honor the process of grief fully so that time can heal the hurt. We honor all of those who were dear to us who have passed on by fully embracing our lives, opening our hearts, jumping into new things with both feet and leaving fear behind. Bootsy feared nothing and liked everyone he met. What a great role model he was! He was a very quiet cat, never talking but always observing. It's nice to know our loved ones will live on for as long as we are here to remember them.
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