Lessons Learned from an Old Friend

Shawn Doyle CSP 

This article was one I wrote several years ago about losing an old friend. 

This weekend on Saturday, I took our very sick cat Cocoa to the vet. She had to be put to sleep. She was our family’s first cat and we had her for almost 17 years. I held her as the vet put her down and she faded out in my hands. Our good old friend was gone in three seconds. Gone. We did it out of love to ease her suffering. Is there any thing that can be learned from this experience? Yes. Yes. Yes.

1). We need to appreciate and celebrate our pets as long as we have them.
2). We need to be grateful for every little thing we have.
3). We need to maximize our life to its fullest, because everything ends.
4). We need to surround ourselves with love, joy, humor, passion and people who will help us live with love, joy, humor, and passion every day.

Every now and then, we all need to be reminded.

Thank you, Cocoa. Sleep well, girl.

My new book on dealing with grief and loss is out The Sun Still Rises: Surviving and Thriving After Grief and Loss. Check it out on Amazon and anywhere fine books are sold.