Saying goodbye to Karlie has been hard for me. It’s been 17 months and I still am struggling to move on. But I don’t think we ever truly move on when we lose someone that we love. Instead we try to move forward. You never forget the love, the memories, the joy. You just figure out a way to live without the daily presence of the one you have lost. So although I struggle, I am focusing on moving forward, not moving on.
For me moving forward means embracing the things that Karlie and I loved to do together and sharing them with Sunny – hiking, kayaking, playing fetch, and lounging in the backyard. But I am also learning the things that Sunny loves – chasing leaves and bugs, meeting people and dogs, chewing boxes, snuggling on the bed, and anything that gets her a treat. So moving forward means sharing what Karlie loved while also doing the things that Sunny loves. It’s a way for me to share Karlie with Sunny while developing my relationship with Sunny. And although Sunny is not Karlie, she helps me move forward.
Here are some other blogs that may bring some insight on how to cope after saying goodbye.
Thank you for your thoughts Andie about moving forward after our loss. I just lost my Cat Sammy this week. He even decided to say goodbye while I was out of town, too far away to catch a plan and be with him at the Vet Er. My heart is broken and everywhere I look at home I think I will see him. It is hard for many people to really understand when you have that special heart connection with an animal, but it is something I have had with Sammy and I’m grateful he shared his life with me.
Oh Marcella, I am SO sorry about Sammy. You both were so lucky to have found each other. It is so hard to lose our special friends and especially when we feel like we didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. I am sure there are reminders of Sammy everywhere, but mostly in your heart and memories. Give yourself whatever time you need to grieve your loss…and I am so sorry it’s taken me this long to see your post.