This past Wednesday night, I had to do one of the hardest things I've ever done. I had to do something that no one should ever have to do. Yet, it happened. Wednesday night, we found one of our cats was truly gone. She'd never demand the attention of every person in the room simultaneously again.
This is the first time I've ever had to say goodbye to a pet, so this time I'm going to do something a little different. Instead of writing a list of funny things Tika did and try to bring some laughs, instead of just writing some paragraphs in her honor, I'm writing a poem. So here goes.
It’s hard to say goodbye when
You can’t breathe,
All you can do is cry,
And you can’t even stand.
Yet you have to breathe,
You have to smile,
And you have to stand.
It’s hard to say goodbye when
You don’t know how,
You’re frozen stiff,
And you just feel
Numb.
Yet you have to act,
You have to move,
And you have to
Feel.
You’re pain deserves to be acknowledged.
You have to say goodbye.
You’ll never see that life
Again.
There’s a hole where that
Extinguished life
Used to be.
The house doesn’t feel right.
Just…wrong…
You can’t think
Breathe…
Breathe.
You have to breathe.
As time moves on
You think you can stand.
Maybe even
Smile.
“I’ll be okay.”
“Everything will work out.”
It’s all a lie.
Nothing feels right
Knowing that
They’re
Gone.
But you have to move on
You have to
Breathe.
Life keeps moving
Even if they
Aren’t.
You have to find the strength to
Stand.
Make those words
Reality.
It’s hard to say goodbye, but
They don’t want you to hold on forever.
Keep going, but never forget.
Grieve, but don’t drown.
Find the strength to
Breathe.
You have to say
"Goodbye,"
Even when it feels
Impossible