LOSS OF A LOVED ONE

Last Tuesday our dear, sweet Cooper left us, left us with the impossible task of deciding whether he should stay with us a bit longer or leave this world suffering.  He had developed a tumor that occupied his entire internal cavity, was unable to eat and eliminate and was in pain.  It didn't matter that we had him in our lives for 14 years, the thought of him not being with us was agonizing.  Yet we had to make a decision that even given all the medical facts was a difficult one.  Anyone who's had to make that decision will attest, it doesn't get much harder than that.  But we made the decision, the only one we could, a decision out of love not to let him suffer. And even though we know it was the right one, it doesn't make us miss him any less.  This poem is dedicated to him and all those out there that have had to deal with the loss of a pet.

 DEEP WITHIN

They have a way of getting deep within the heart of you.

They fill your days with happiness and love their whole life through.

We call them pet and yet they are much more than that to us.

Their love is unconditional, they give because they must.

They fill our days with happiness, so glad when we are there,

That faithful wag, it tells us that they’ll always, always care.

A walk, a meal, a stroke, a hug, makes their whole world complete

For seeing us is all they need when gone an hour, a week.

It matters not the length of time we’ve left them there because

They know that we’ll return again, that tail is our applause.

The years go by and often we can take them so for granted.

We’re sure they’ll always be with us, not leave our world dismantled.

But life without them’s not the same, we miss them, miss them so,

No matter if their life was long, can’t bear to see them go.

And that’s because that part they had inside our hearts must be

Relinquished to the emptiness if we no longer see

That loving soul that’s occupied that special place within.

Our longing heart just wishes that we’d see that face again.

Yes, we are left in agony because we never thought

About that day when they’d be gone, conveniently forgot.

So here we are with lonliness and sadness that won’t end.

We’ve lost a part that can’t be filled except by that dear friend.

Impossible to fill the void that we must bear alone

But better we have been because they graced our life and home.