Grief
Welcome to Natural Wonders. This week my post is a bit different, as you’ll see below. Thank you for your patience as I navigate my feelings right now. Next issue I’ll be back with a regular Natural Wonder to explore…
On Saturday I lost two incredibly important people in my life. Our beloved dog, Oscar, passed away in our arms after a short, hard battle with what was probably pancreatitis. He wasn't technically a person, but he was integral to every part of our lives - he went everywhere with us; he knew when we were sad and needed a therapy partner; he added the pure, unbridled joy and love that only animals can provide. Andrew and I spent Saturday morning crying and burying him and telling each other his stories.
Then, that afternoon, I learned that my wonderful mother had finally passed after a long battle with dementia. She had such an impact on so many students and teachers and friends. I wish she could have heard and understood the beautiful remembrances people have shared with me in the short time she's been gone.
It seems so unfair to lose two such important souls within just a few short hours. But I've always felt that experiencing the inevitable death of our furry companions helps prepare us for the grief that comes with saying goodbye to our human ones.
Perhaps Mom needed a therapy dog just now.
Whatever the reason they passed away in tandem, our family is forever grateful for having had both of them in our lives for so long. We are blessed beyond measure.
Wow thank you for sharing these beautiful pictures and remembrances. I felt that I got a sense of the essence of each of them and your life with them. I hope that you are holding yourself with tenderness.
Holding you and your family in so much love, Heather! Thank you for sharing a bit about your mother and your dog so we could get a glimpse of how incredible they both were. And thank you for showing up in your pain too. For not hiding it. For letting us witness it and hold it and offer you our love through it 🙏❤️