between hello and good-bye

A few years ago, I lost Cosmo, a little cat that meant the world to me. She was my first real pet (other than fish and hamsters) and when the time came that I had to say good-bye, I swear I could feel my heart cracking with grief. I was only able to have one year with Cosmo, but her departure from my life still left me lost and teary for some time. A year needed to pass before I was able to open my heart and home again to another sweet cat, my Elora.


cosmo...a month before good-bye
(my only picture of her)

There are friends, who were there to pick up the pieces of me after losing Cosmo, who have asked me why I would set myself up to go through all of that again? First with Elora, and even more so with Sophie, they wondered why I would open myself up to so much hurt again...especially when you know it's inevitable...the second you say hello to a new pet you know that somewhere down the road you will have to say good-bye. But, as most dedicated pet owners know, the answer to their question is easy....it's all the moments together in between hello and good-bye. I wouldn't miss out on those moments for anything.


beautiful elora

Outside of the constant everyday joy and love that our pets bring into our world, each of my pets have taught me something, have made a profound difference, have changed something in me. Cosmo brought me back from a place of sadness during a difficult time in my life. Elora became my touchstone...my constant and my comfort amidst a great deal of change. Finn taught me about patience, about limits and about champions. And my Sophie....she is taking me on an unexpected journey that takes my breath away...a journey to finding peace, to finding happiness, to finding the real me.


sweet finn

And all of these wonderful pets have helped teach me one of the most important lessons of all: to love like you have never been hurt before. It is the best and the only way to love....both animals and people. It's that kind of love that opens you up to the possibilities of new hellos, that creates all the worthwhile moments in between and that helps you survive the good-byes.


joyful sophie

So thank you...Cosmo, Elora, Finn and Sophie...for everything in between.