Memories are the photographs our hearts take.

in #writing5 years ago (edited)
photo, design & artwork © Heather Johnsgaard
It takes time before the pain is gone; I'm not sure when it disappears I have no clear memory of it leaving. For months I mourned and then one day I was able to recall memories without tears leaking from the corners of my eye.

It's such a silly thing, to mourn so strongly for a pet. Do I mourn the same for people I wonder. I cannot always remember the pain of losing a loved one, but I always remember the loss of my pet; and it sits with me still.


Does that make me some kind of uncaring, unfeeling monster?


photo, design & artwork © Heather Johnsgaard
I have often been criticized for treating my pets like children, been frowned upon for cooking special meals for them, received dirty looks because they have the run of my house, or heard remarks like "they're just a dog".

In any given situation, and at any given time, we care for the ones who need us most. Pets just seem to need us more, for as humans we are wired to grow, learn, and become independent.


We have taken that ability away from our domesticated furry counterparts. We have taken them out of the wild and into the home where they are no longer free to hunt and forage and care for themselves; we are obliged to do it for them.

photo, design & artwork © Heather Johnsgaard
I suppose the pain from loss is because we have made that pet a part of our family, spending much of their life with them by our side, that alone makes the bond overly strong.

Pets are children for ever, they never really grow up, they just grow old;

Totally dependent upon us, we need to do pretty much everything for them because they are forever toddlers. We can teach them tricks like fetch, catch or roll over, and we can even teach them to open the fridge and retrieve something. But it's just a trick of which they would not have been successful had we not made it possible for it to work.

There are two sides to every coin, and we are just as dependent upon them


photo, design & artwork © Heather Johnsgaard
We look for them to greet us when we come home. We are grateful when we can whisper our greatest feelings and secrets and they become our sounding boards. We hug them when we are sad, and we play with them when we are happy. And just like our children, we expect them to listen and to behave, and we look for them to be by our side.

Pets are our natural healers. Their presence and the act of stroking their fur calms us, takes away anxiety, help to rid us of our stresses.

They are our companions in times of loneliness and despair. They listen when no one else will and they love us no matter what. Unconditionally. All they ask in return is love and care and to be with us.

More often than not, they make us laugh and bring us joy!

photo, design & artwork © Heather Johnsgaard

It's okay to mourn, in fact, it is healthy to mourn, as long as we do not let ourselves fall into depression over it. The first days are the worst, the pain lessens as time goes by.

I have had many pets over the years, and I have loved each and every one of them. I have loved them all with varying depths of love, for like humans they are all different, each with their own unique personalities.

And I mourn them all still... to this day

Memories are the photographs our hearts take...

These stepping stones are memory markers I have started to make to remember a loved one. Pet or human, it matters not. Remembered with love, remembering is love.

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I am with you on this, it is absolutely ok with loving pets, mourning and remembering them @thistle-rock. I have had a dog, a bird, fish pets who left as I was growing up and until today, I still remember them. Thank you for this heartfelt writing. I love the painting too. It is a beautiful piece of remembrance. If you don't mind me asking, is Cadeau your pet dog? And what was the medium that you painted the piece on? It has a beautiful unique shine to it. I love the flowers and the dragonfly and the colours.

Thank you @marblely, that is a lovely response.

I too have had a menagerie of pets, fish, rabbits, birds, cats, dogs, horses, hamsters... you know, the basics, and they all played a big role in my life, always remembered.

Cadeau was my dog who passed away one month before her 16th birthday, an unusual age for the size she was. So named for several reasons; one being my mothers is french and she asked for something she could pronounce as sometimes her tongue cannot get around some words, lol. So, I chose Cadeau, which is the french word for gift. As she was to be put down within a week, I decided that we had given her the gift of life, and in return, she gave us the gift of her unconditional love... I may just have to write that story someday.

The painting is actually on a cement stepping stone using several layers of acrylic paints. I have yet to seal it, but I will do so with outdoor quality varethane. This was the first I ever made, then I subsequently donated a semi-custom piece for our local SPCA, the bidder who won asked that his MIL's name be put on it which I thought was fantastic. I will at some point start another and make a tutorial along the way.

Thanks so much for your comment and for stopping by.

Thank you @thistle-rock for sharing your story :)
Cadeau is a lovely name, if you don't mind me saying. What a gift she must have been to your family. My dog's name was Lucky, a cute German Spitz who once ate a big green caterpillar and hid under bushes when there is thunder and lightning :)
Ah.. a cement stepping stone is very unique. I love the kind of painting that you do, the kind of stone and objects painting with cheery flowers, patterns and colours :) It makes me happy looking at them.
And reading your posts and comments, I have to say that you are a talent with a big and kind heart @thistle-rock. I am really happy to have come across your posts :)

@marblely, one of the loveliest comments I have received, thank you so much, it made my day.

Too funny, your Lucky once ate a caterpillar, they do tend to do the funniest things! I have one dog who I rescued later in his life, and he is afraid of the thunder and lightening too, drools something fierce and shakes like a leaf, poor thing, but we love him just the same. He's almost deaf now, but dogs can feel the drop in pressure signalling a storm, so his not being able to hear the noise isn't going to help him I am afraid.

So glad to have you here, thanks for your lovely comments and for visiting. 😊

I too love my non-human friends. In fact I think there is a sign outside my door that says "All 4 legged, feathered, finned or scaled creatures welcome here" considering how many sick, hurt, or abandoned animals make their way to that door. I feed them, do my best to heal them, and if they are from the wild, return them there as soon as they are able to handle it. The others find a lifetime home and are cared for in life and mourned when they pass on. They have all taught me so much, and I treasure each relationship.

Thank you for a very poignant article that truly sums up those relationships.

@kay-leclerc, a gal after my own heart, we could be twinnies, lol.

Thank you so much for your kind words and thanks for popping in.

I have had dozens of furry, hooved, feathered and even scaly companions in my life and you have summed up perfectly how I have felt about each and every one of them when their time came to pass on. If it is true that they will be waiting for me when it is my turn to leave this earth, then I will have a raucous reunion indeed! Thank you for a lovely post!

Thank you @mobymom, glad you stopped by.

I have hope I will encounter all my furry loved ones again in another life... without hope, we have nothing to believe in!

Thanks for popping in.

The best read of the day and very touching too. That is rightly said that we get more attached to pets because from the day they came into our gouse we treat them as family member and over time looking and taking care for them makes them much closer to our heart. It is alwsy impossible to keep them apart for so long.
A lovely tribute to the ever memkravle soul...

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Thank you @steemflow, that is indeed a truly heartwarming compliment!

There is no love like the unconditional love we receive from a pet, they bring out the best in us and our lives.

Thank you for visiting.


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I am so appreciative, thank you @c-squared for your efforts on my behalf!

We've had a LOT of pets over the 44+ years and it never gets any easier when we loose one. Our current house cat is 17.5 years old, and really starting to show her age. It's just a matter of time, and not a lot of that. Then I won't have my constant supervisor any more.

We lost our barn cat last summer and my husband was bereft for months. He and Herkie had bonded, unlike Herkie and I, and it was very hard and unexpected when he died, only a middle aged cat in apparently good health.

This was a really lovely post, and sometimes our best writing comes in the night....

Thank you @goldenoakfarm, it is so true, the best writing comes at night sometimes.... that's when most of the ideas run through and out of my head to be lost somewhere in the dark... today's writing made it to the forefront, lol.

Me too, lots of pets, many living to a ripe old age. We had a black cat who lived to seventeen too, it is amazing how long they live.

So sorry about your barn cat, belated condolences.

As always, thanks for checking me out.

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Very amazing and touchy writing and nice paintings as well. Is this a new writing of yours :)?

Thank you @rifkan

I could not sleep tonight, I quietly got up so as not to wake the family, and I sat and wrote this. Yes, this is brand new and fresh from my mind. I was inspired to write it as I went through my photographs and saw I had some progress images of the stone, memories flooded back and the story was borne.

Thank you for visiting.

I love pets as well. We have two dogs and a few cats as well. They are the sweetest creature one can have :) My pleasure :) I sometimes even ask myself why dont they live as long as human :)

Ah, lovely, and you are correct.

I am currently owned by three dogs and a horse 😊

My motto is live and let live. I don't judge anyone and I don't make any conclusions about people. I admire your love for your pet. And I understand your feeling.

You took the words right out of my mouth @delishtreats. As my profile states "I am patiently waiting to grow up", but now that I have aged at least, I really don't care as much what other people have to say about how I live my life. We can only live in the best way that feels right for each one of us, and whatever makes you happy! 😊

Thank you for your kind words and thanks for popping in.

I find it so good to hear when people tell me that they got to the age when they don't care what other people think about their lives :) This is one of the biggest realizations in our lives :)

I agree with you. We can only do our best and try to be happy :)

Thank you for getting back to me :)

You have nothing to be ashamed of about how you treat your pets. What you write captures the thinking of many people. I also give my pets a lot. I mean when I had. I had to suffer the loss of my beloved "Duquesa(in english Duchess)" so my dog ​​is called. She died poisoned by a neighbor. It was very sad for me, I was a little kid. I remember that day came from the school direct to say hello to her, as I did every day and there she was. Lying down without moving I screamed at her and nothing. That day I was alone and when my mom arrived, she was the one who checked it. Duquesa slept in the backyard which was very extensive. But it was always locked when there was none of my parents at home because it was a single door. I will never forget the anecdotes I have with her ...

Keep spreading your love to animals you are not the only one who is proud to treat pets like that. greetings from Venezuela. Thank you for reminding me of my dear Duquesa. <3

Thank you @wisejg. So sad for your dog, poison is a terrible fate to have to succumb to, and while years later, I am sorry for your loss.

Thank you for visiting, I am glad you found a memory of your dear Duquesa through my post.

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