Saying Goodbye

Tisha left us to be with Asia at 5:05 this afternoon. She was so very weary, but she still had the energy to stretch against my leg as I sat with her on the carpeted floor and to hold her head up as I combed under her chin, just as I have thousands of times before this.

When she got the initial injection of sedative, she stretched out, relaxed, and began to purr very faintly. She raised her head up for me to comb her a little more, and continued to purr her approval until she finally dozed off. Then she was given the second injection; she never woke up or showed any sign that she felt the IV (she always hated any injections in her legs, so that was a sign of how deeply asleep she was). I continued to stroke her and comb under that chubby little chin until I was sure that she had left me and was back with her sister.

For the first time in far too long, she looked wholly relaxed. We never recognize the burdens until we see the peace that comes when they are lifted...