08/22/2025
You don’t just lose a pet once.
You lose them every time you walk through the door
and no one runs to greet you.
You lose them when you hear the quiet,
where paws used to echo across the floor.
You lose them in the empty space on the couch,
the untouched bowl in the corner,
the leash that hangs without purpose.
Grief does not come only once—
it circles back,
in memories, in habits,
in the tender places where love used to live.
But love, too, does not come only once.
It lingers in every photo,
every wag, every purr,
every moment your soul was warmed by theirs.
So be gentle with yourself.
Losing them is not a moment,
it is a journey—
a storm to sail through,
carrying the light of the joy they gave.
Because though they are gone from your arms,
they are never gone from your heart.
