Will you carry the words of Love with you?
Will you ride the great white bird into Heaven?
And though you want to last forever you know you never will
You know you never will
And the goodbye makes the journey harder still…

– Cat Stevens, Oh Very Young, 1974

It’s harder to write words of remembrance for a cat than it is for a person.

It has nothing to do with the volume of feeling.  It has to do with the unspoken bond that humans have with companion animals.  If you’re not a person with an affinity for pets you won’t understand how the death of an animal can break someone.  It’s heart-wrenching on a level that’s difficult to express and it’s a trial to attempt to find the words to do such a companion justice. Continue reading →