Smitty & Homer This month I've been enjoying vacation time off the grid, out in the woods. Re-entry is hard.
My prime consolation as I journeyed back to a busy life in the city was anticipation of a reunion with my two furry companions, Homer and Smitty.
More than 70% of Americans have a pet, and six out of ten of us consider our pets to be members of our families.
Loving our companion animals is a joy. Losing them can be devastating. Memorializing them well can help us heal.
My prime consolation as I journeyed back to a busy life in the city was anticipation of a reunion with my two furry companions, Homer and Smitty.
More than 70% of Americans have a pet, and six out of ten of us consider our pets to be members of our families.
Loving our companion animals is a joy. Losing them can be devastating. Memorializing them well can help us heal.
Hadley Mae (? 1997 – May 24, 2013) This week I share, with permission, one of the most evocative eulogies I've ever read. This tribute to Hadley Mae, written by my favorite blogger Andrea Carlisle, illustrates the tender power of remembrance.
It begins like this:
"One morning back in 1998, a young stray cat found her way to the side door of a high school in a Portland suburb. The elderly janitor happened to come out to deliver something to the dumpster, spotted the small cat patiently waiting for the door to open, and befriended her.
"It was cold and rainy, so he took her inside and down to his office in the basement. After a few days of research, he concluded that no one was looking for a skinny cat with two cracked teeth, a soft, multi-colored coat, and a long, be-ringed tail with a velvety black tip.
"The cat and janitor took to each other. While he did his paperwork, she sat on his lap. When he went off to polish floors, she kept his chair warm. He couldn’t bring her home, so he tried to make her the official school cat with a permanent residence in his office in the basement."
Read more...
It begins like this:
"One morning back in 1998, a young stray cat found her way to the side door of a high school in a Portland suburb. The elderly janitor happened to come out to deliver something to the dumpster, spotted the small cat patiently waiting for the door to open, and befriended her.
"It was cold and rainy, so he took her inside and down to his office in the basement. After a few days of research, he concluded that no one was looking for a skinny cat with two cracked teeth, a soft, multi-colored coat, and a long, be-ringed tail with a velvety black tip.
"The cat and janitor took to each other. While he did his paperwork, she sat on his lap. When he went off to polish floors, she kept his chair warm. He couldn’t bring her home, so he tried to make her the official school cat with a permanent residence in his office in the basement."
Read more...
Portland pet lovers are lucky to have a nationally renowned pet loss support program at Dove Lewis. Founded and run by certified grief counselor Enid Traisman, the program offers a variety of resources including art therapy workshops and a lovely advice column written by Enid. If this topic touches you, I encourage you to follow Enid's blog.
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