Lately, I’ve been taking cues from my cats: bask in the sun, notice a bug, stretch often, nap when needed. Maybe slowing down isn’t about time at all — it’s about attention.

Losing a pet (dog, cat, fish, horse, truly any creature) is losing a major relationship in your life. You mourn what they meant. You miss their presence. Wish for their smell. Weep when you reach for them only to suddenly remember - they’re gone. It’s no different than losing a human and all the agonizing gut-wrenching aches that come with that.