Life can be crazy, and hard, and heart wrenching all at the same time. Our cat passed away yesterday, and while it's the first time my husband has dealt with the loss of a pet, it's not mine. She was only in my life for a year, but I loved her just the same.
I've always had pets in my life, as have my children. I remember when my son turned 6 and wanted a Hamster, because one of his friends has got one. At the time, my ex and I were still together, and we had 4 cats. I tried to explain (as best I could) that getting one was maybe not the best choice of pet, considering the hamster/cat ratio in the house. But, after numerous discussions, all leading to me being the worst mom in the world, because I wouldn't 'let' him get the hamster, I chose to teach him an even bigger lesson, "Responsibility". My son got the hamster, and as we thought, it got out of his cage, and well, you know what happened. Finally, after the 3rd hamster, he decided he wanted another cat. Having to learn about the death of a pet, at such an early age, taught him something I'd never even realized, until just recently.
Over the past 2 years, my kids lost 2 of our cats. Both had to be put to sleep, because of health issues, one, had a stroke during the night, (mild although devastating) and my son found him. He quietly woke me up and said, mommy, the cat is really sick, and I don't want my sister to find him. (He was 8 at the time, and she was 5). So, mommy gets up, and sure enough, I have to call their father to come down and 'deal' with things, because I emotionally couldn't. I felt a crack in my heart. I had that cat since he was a baby .. before the children came along, during happier times with my ex-husband, and before life got complicated and out of control.
3 months later, my other cat had to be taken to the vet, and I had to put her down. Again, I was heartbroken, but this time, my son sat on the couch with me, as if he was a teenager, and said ... "Mom, it's okay to cry, I now you loved the cat, but sometimes, they are just too sick to stay our pets". What an incredible young man.
So, back to the original reason for this post, my (new) husband's cat passed away yesterday, and he cried. I told him "I know how you feel" but the one thing that brought me solace, was that she had been sick .. and it reminded me of what my son said to me almost 2 years ago, and THAT made me cry.
Our children are incredible humans, if given the tools, and the encouragement to become all that they are meant to be. I am proud of my children, and my step children. Each of them have their own skills, and abilities. Between us, my husband and I have 6 children, and I love every single one of them ...
Have a great day, I need to go wipe some tears.
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