When our cat died, we wept. We looked at each other differently, with more patience and not taking the other for granted, for about a week feeling her presence in her absence.
Eventually laughter returned. Whatever we learned, and will have to learn again with the next dying we face, laughter was no disrespect for her passing. The return of laughter was her gift of gratitude to us.
Linked to dVerse Poetics where Lillian is hosting. I look at this as a prose poem or aphorism.

So sorry for the loss of your beloved cat… pets are family and they have a way of capturing our hearts completely. In time, living and laughter does indeed return and I have no doubt they approve. 🙂
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This really moved me.
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That is a lovely observation, how the interaction of you and your partner changed because of the cat’s death, then changed again as the sorrow worked its way through.
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We knew she was dying, but when it happened it seemed so unexpected and then transforming. Thank you, Jane!
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Loss is never easy, and death always hits hard, no matter how ‘logical’.
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I love the message in this! And this line most especially “feeling her presence in her absence.” This is so very true.
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Thank you, Lillian!
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I love that eventually laughter returned and we moved on with gratitude.
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It is like coming up for air. Thank you, Grace!
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So very sorry. Was this the small white cat,Mimi, you fotographed with her whole face in a cup?
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Yes, it was her. We knew she was dying for some time. We also bought that water fountain for her, but she preferred drinking from our hands at a faucet. I feel glad in retrospect to have had the privilege of her accepting water that flowed over my fingers. Thank you, Danik!
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Something we can all relate too!
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Yes, we all go through similar experiences. Thank you!
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I like the idea of the return of joy after a period of mourning as your cat’s gift to you.
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It was a gift from her. Thank you, Jenna!
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This is so true… in some way it reminds me of how people often sees a funeral afterwards, the parting after the ceremony is often almost joyful… sorrow has to make its way through the bones.
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Good way of putting it: sorry makes its way through the bones. Thank you, Bjorn!
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Something good always comes from the bad ☺️💜💜
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It does. Thank you, Willow!
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It is indeed sorrowful to lose a beloved pet, but the return of laughter is a sign of healing. Poignant read, Frank.
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It is a sign of healing. Thank you, Beverly!
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A beautiful and sad ballad to a loved gato. We had to put our Puss down a couple of months ago, and you are bang on as to the stages of acceptance. Of course, any cat that can leave you laughter is worth a poem.
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Their passing is sad. Thank you, Glenn!
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Very poignant and cats can be with us for a long time but never long enough. They are such good friends and part of us.
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They do become a part of us. Thank you!
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This is masculine, and beautiful. Bravo
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Thank you!
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I’m sorry for your loss, Frank. I think you’ve captured something special in this post.
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Thank you, Dan!
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The return of laughter was her gift of gratitude to us – I love this deeply.
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Thank you, Pragalbha!
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Very nicely crafted Frank. I understand this feeling for we went through it when our cat died as well. It is a big loss for sure.
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Thank you, Dwight!
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Time does heal our perspective, and perhaps, lessens the grief – never fully. Well stated, Frank.
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Thank you, V.J.!
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I know how it feels when you lose a beloved cat, Frank. I felt like we betrayed Tosca when we learned to smile again, at our remaining cat, Luna, and little Mojo, whom we adopted to keep her company.
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It does feel like betrayal. Thank you, Kim!
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Wonderful synopsis of grief, Frank! Yes, beloved ones gone would want us to laugh…which we do, over food after funerals.
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They would. Thank you, Lynn!
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Healing comes in many ways.
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Yes, thank you!
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I recall one of your first prompts when i started writing for dverse was prose poetry and that was my introduction to that form. yours flows beautifully here, a time to laugh when one is grieving is a celebration of that life we miss so much
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Thank you, Gina!
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A poignant portrait of grief and recovery, Frank!
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Thank you, Frank!
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My pleasure 😇
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Smiles Frank Life is both
Magical and Mystical
it seems when
People Interact
And come to experience
Similar realities of Life
For True
The Love of a
Cat can and will
Be So Strong to
Give and Share
Unconditionally
that it may make it
easier to ignore our more
Troublesome and Complicated
And yes at times almost ‘mad’
Furless Neighbors either close
now or farther
away
For True
Many a
Cat has
Made a Cat
Lady and or
Man kept indoors
by a Master of Love
True in this way Light may be Dark
as the Light Overshadows Love overall
True smiles
Happens
with
Newlyweds/New Loves
too as they Now become
the only two in existence
However now the Romance
of a Cat may Last Forever now
for they forgive and do not Hold Grudges..
For Folks who have ‘too much love’ to give
A Cat
may
Prevent
Headaches
for others in
the Home with winks..:)
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I like the thought that a romance of a cat may last forever. Thank you, Fred!
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Hi Frank.. in the last
6 Years We’ve gone
From 5 Cats hanging
Around and or
In our
Home to
0 Cats now
This Score
Means the
Addition
Of
One at
Least Soon..:)
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I really like this, we will have to learn again with the next dying we face….which translates maybe into…we never completely learn…
It’s very hard to lose a pet…
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Each dying brings something new to learn and old to re-learn. Thank you, Mary!
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It does somehow seem disrespectful to laugh when death has occurred. But for me, thus far, I believe those that have died would enjoy the laughter and not want me to be sad forever.
I am sorry for your loss. Even though you knew she was dying for some time, it is not easy.
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Thank you, Terre! They would want the laughter to return.
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I feel this greatly. I grew up with three little furry friends, my feline sisters, and the loss was so hard to take.
The pain slowly faded and now I can look back with a smile, at how they changed our lives.
Beautifully captured in your writing.
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They do change our lives. I am sorry for your losses and glad you can look back with a smile even while feeling the loss.
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Nice post and have a look at : https://turningangles.com/2019/04/09/elections-on-my-mind/
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Thank you and I liked your view of elections.
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