This past weekend, we lost our beloved cat Molly passed away due to advanced kidney disease. On Saturday morning, she was behaving normal. She slept next to me. We got up, she took her medicine, she ate and was sitting with us as we watched our Saturday morning TV shows. At 2:00 pm, I dropped Jim off at work and was back home in twenty minutes. I found Molly in distress. She was urinating and vomiting all over and couldn’t stop. She couldn’t get comfortable, couldn’t sit. She roamed the house looking for some comfort. I wanted so bad to ease her discomfort but I could do nothing.  She was rushed to the animal hospital. The doctors found that she had lost another pound and a half since her last visit in November. She was now below six pounds. I didn’t want her to suffer although I wanted her back home with me so bad. The doctors reminded me that her disease had advanced that there was no reversing the situation at this point. She would never recover and only get worse or may not even make it through this episode. I made the most difficult decision of my life and decided to let her go. The doctors at the hospital concurred and said the I made the right decision. Right now, along with the horrible empty feeling that I have inside me. I’m feeling very guilty and keep telling myself, maybe I should have taken her home and tried again to keep her stable although deep inside I knew this decision would be very selfish on my part.

For almost nineteen years, Molly was with us through everything. She provided unconditional love no matter what. I would be comforted every single day coming home knowing that she was there waiting. She loved us and always spent her time with us wherever we were. eating, reading, watching TV, sleeping, and traveling down to Delaware. She seemed to know whether I was happy, sad, frustrated etc. She knew how to get her way and I always gave in. I believe that she knew me better than anyone in this world.

While hearing of friends traveling from here to there, I have no regrets that I chose to take care of Molly during her ailing days. I am so thankful that I didn’t have to deal with a hectic work schedule and was able to be with her, making sure she ate, was comfortable, took her medication, was staying hydrated and just bonding with her. I learned that unconditional love is stronger than anything on this earth and that love never dies. This is the most precious gift that I received from my beloved Molly -totally unconditional love stronger and better than anything in this world including sitting on a plane and going to a far away place.

I am sorry for people who never experienced the love of a pet. They are really missing out on one of the most precious gifts on earth! Material things are just that material, they mean nothing, they don’t stay with us, they fade and provide only immediate gratification.

If you are grieving the loss of a pet, I encourage you to read The Rainbow Bridge. It will provide you with lots of comfort. I believe that we will meet our beloved pets again on the other side of that bridge. They are waiting patiently for us as soon as we make our way to that bridge. They will be alive, vibrant, and spend eternity with us all because of unconditional love. They are bonded to us together forever. That’s the key to eternal life, not fire and brimstone and fear. Love and light pave the way to eternity. So Molly will be there at that bridge when I get there.

Remember, your pets count!