Losing Chardonnay

This week we lost one of our fur children. Chardonnay, our big yellow tabby, lost his valiant battle with kidney disease. We knew it was coming, but that didn't make his loss any easier to accept. He was with us for almost 19 years -- a long, happy life.

It seems so strange to not hear him wailing loudly for his breakfast in the mornings. And to not see him peering through the French doors as we pull into the driveway. It's not until they're gone that you realize how large a role a beloved pet plays in your life. They stake out a claim not only on your couch but also in your heart. They're a part of you, day in and day out. And so when they leave us, we grieve deeply. It's their absence, the emptiness of the chair they always napped in, the silent kitchen in the morning, that reminds us just how much they filled up our lives. And fill our lives he did, in so many ways. He could be funny, maddening, irresistible, amazing and demanding. But most of all, he will always be unforgettable.

Rest gently, sweet Chardonnay.

Chardonnay

©2014 Lynn Edwards