Hope springs eternal

An unlikely friendship - Cricket with Ronia, the rat

It has been an emotional week.  I've been searching for the right words, both within myself and without.  Searching for the good, trying not to focus on the bad.  Trying to crest each wave instead of being dragged under.  Such is life, and I fear I've swallowed a bit of water in the process.

To cap the emotional tide, we lost a pet.  Ronia, our beloved rat, passed away in Sunburst's hands.  It's awful to lose a pet, but it is something else to watch your child grieve as she comforts her pet in the final moments of its life.  Sunburst is a brave and strong soul with heart of gold.  As a mother I couldn't be more proud of her, but my heart aches all the same.

Ronia was an old rat with a sweet disposition.  She had suffered at least two strokes since January, which left her unable to keep her balance and walk correctly.  She had lost her sight and her sense of smell, and she had difficulty breathing.  But despite all these seemingly huge obstacles, she hung on for months.  She was a fighter and a lover.  She loved to cuddle-- not only with Sunburst, but with our cat Cricket.

I would be remiss if I didn't recognize that all three of our children are grieving, though each in their own way.  And yet, even in the midst of sorrow, the sun emerges.  The flowers bloom.  Life goes on, and the living forces are renewed.  It's the eternal lesson of spring.

There is still so much to be thankful for.