Yesterday, I lost a huge piece of my heart. My precious pit bull mix, Holly was taken from me by an aggressive cancer. Holly was so much more than "just a dog." She was my best friend, by my side nearly every moment of every day. She snuggled up next to me while we watched movies and at night, she snored softly by my side. We swam together during the day and while I worked in the evenings, she slept by my feet, offering a small little thump-thump of her tail as I would reach down to pet her.
Today, the silence in my home is deafening. No click of nails on the wooden floor. No scratch at the back door when she needs to go out. No random kisses when I sit in my chair. The dog beds are empty, our cats are absolutely lost today, slowly wondering around the house, waiting for their best friend to show up. Today is the worst day, it begins the next chapter without my friend. It's the day after the goodbye, when reality changes. The day that the heartache really sets in.
As we held her in our arms yesterday, Holly was still offering those soft tail wags, giving us sweet kisses. She left us peacefully, with both Chris and myself holding her and telling her that it was going to be okay and how much we loved her. As she left us, we thanked her for being such a wonderful little dog and told her how much we loved having her in our lives.
The pain of losing a pet is one that never fully goes away. The love they offer us is something that can only come from the innocence of an animal. The loyalty, the companionship and trust can never be replicated. Holly embodied that love and offered every ounce of it to the people who shared her life.
We miss you, sweet girl. Run free.
Stephanie Conrad
Pet Studio Art | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com
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