GRIEF | ONE YEAR LATER - Kaye Ness Photography

I will never forget the phone call from Scott on my way home from an out of town photo shoot. He said that Pig wasn’t acting like himself… that was the longest drive home. When I got home, I rushed in picked up Pig and started to cry. I knew just from the way he felt in my arms that the end was near. I didn’t know a year ago that every day after losing my beloved fur child was going to be a process and journey of recovery.

I really can’t believe it’s been a year since I said goodbye to my furry soulmate (Mr. Piggy/Pig). When Pig was alive I would stare into his eyes and remind him that I can’t live without him. The thought of not having his companionship was more than my heart could take. When he passed, a part of my heart broke…. but I didn’t realize how strong I was until being strong was the only choice I had. I was so fortunate to have such an outpouring of love and support from my family and friends which made me feel so comforted. I still feel the ‘waves’ of grief and you never know what will trigger emotions. The Facebook memories feature is both a blessing and excruciating at times. It has not been an easy process and I have learned so much about myself. “The grieving process is something you get through, not something you get over.”

I have four of my favorite pictures of Pig hung at the bottom of my stairs in our foyer. I say goodnight to him and remind myself how lucky I was to be chosen as his mommy and spend so many years being loved by him. I love remembering his sweet face…

I adopted Charlie last winter and he has been such a delightful addition to our household. Charlie is a comedian, athlete, ornery, and an entertainer. He makes me laugh so much and I look forward to what he discovers on a daily basis. He is a master insect hunter. He could be napping on my desk and all of a sudden he bolts to the floor and locates the smallest insect that I can barely see. He finds spiders to play with and is sad when I kill his new best friend and playmate. He loves toys and hair ties. For a while, I would wake up every morning to each and every hair tie from my drawer on the floor (see picture) which I found amusing. Charlie loves to play (harass) with his canine brother and they provide a LOT of entertainment.

Although I may not have been emotionally ready to bring another cat into my life, I am happy I did. Losing a furry soulmate is hard… and Charlie makes me laugh each day which has been the best medicine. I am actually happy that Charlie is quite different in many way than Mr. Piggy because I never want to feel he was replaced. I have a huge heart for animals and there was such a void not having a cat in the house. I love coming home and being greeted by my fur babies each day… it makes me happy.

I’ve dreaded this day as it approaches because it was the hardest day of my life… I know we had many years together but it wasn’t enough. I will never regret the nights of staying in so I could snuggle and watch tv with him and thankful I told him every single day how perfect and loved he was. My dear, Mr. Piggy, the sweetest cat to ever live, the most spoiled and loved cat in the whole world… I honor you today!

And for those who are grieving over human and furry loved ones… there is hope.

“For the rest of my life I will search for moments full of you.” ~Anonymous

“Some days the memories still knock the wind out of me…”

“If ever there is a tomorrow when we’re not together
There is something you must always remember
You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem
and smarter than you think.
But the most important thing is even if we are apart
I’ll always be with you.” ~Winnie the Pooh

“Grief is like the ocean;
it comes in waves,
ebbing and flowing.
Sometimes the water is calm,
and sometimes it is overwhelming.
All we can do is learn to swim.” ~Vicki Harrison

Here are some of my favorite pictures of Mr. Piggy & Charlie.