Honoring Those Pets We Have Loved and Lost for Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day 2016
My beautiful senior cat, Mr. Jazz – the inspiration for the book, Purr Prints of the Heart, and Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day. This was him in early 2013 – each day I was given with him at this point was a precious gift.
I’m in the process of going through pictures of our cats with Dan to determine which one’s I’d like to use for my upcoming book. We have thousands of images – each one more beautiful than the next – but it’s a bittersweet process because it always inevitably happens when we look at pictures – a random one will pop up and hit me painfully in the gut, reminding me of days gone by. This time it was a picture of Jazz. But what’s most interesting, was that it was a picture of him I hadn’t seen before. Considering I combed through what I thought were all of his pictures when I wrote his meow memoir, Purr Prints of the Heart, last year, it was all the more perplexing.
With today marking the third anniversary of his death, my heart is telling me he brought it to me as a gift, giving me a special memory of a time I had long since forgotten about. Some might call it random luck. I don’t. With Jazz, there have been far too many uncanny things that have happened to me with him since his passing and I am certain he is communicating to me from the afterlife. So, in tribute to Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day, a day I created in his honor for pet lovers worldwide to pay tribute to those pets they have loved and lost, I share this never before seen picture of him.
Me with Zee, Zoey, Mia, Jazz, Peanut, and Rolz. I’m sure Harley was somewhere around my feet.
This was us on August 25, 2012 – we had a tropical storm brewing and Dan and I were getting ready to hunker down with some basic hurricane essentials, like wine, cheese, and crackers.I really love this picture because it’s just so ordinary – an everyday slice of my life. I don’t remember Jazz being much of a counter top jumper, but there he was, hanging out with all his feline cat-mates. He was so happy and healthy back then. My Harley with us back then too, but she NEVER jumped on the counter. The couch cushion was as high as she would jump but I’m sure she was somewhere on the floor watching us. This was before Kizmet, before Jazmine, and before I would lose Jazz a mere year later, and then Harley, unexpectedly a year after that.
Harley was never a jumper – she always preferred to participate in everything from the safety of the floor.
The photo serves as a powerful reminder to appreciate those glorious, beautiful, wonderful every day moments were are blessed to have with our precious pets, because we just don’t know when they will end, only to be left as memories in our hearts.
To all my beloved pets that have come and gone in my life, this day is for you. I love you forever and always, and each and every one of you has touched my heart in a special way.
For any of you who have loved and lost a pet, my heart goes out to you as well. I know how difficult it is to say goodbye and it is my hope this special day can bring some happiness to you as you remember the joy your pet brought into your life, for however long or brief that time was. Please feel free to share comments here, or join the blog hop if you have a blog, or stop by the specially created Facebook event page here to share your stories and pictures. Thank you and love and peace to you all.
For anyone who has loved and lost a beloved pet, Purr Prints of the Heart is a warm, sweet, and beautiful story to help with the grieving process.
For anyone interested in reading the meow memoir of Mr. Jazz in Purr Prints of the Heart – A Cat’s Tale of Life, Death, and Beyond, please visit www.purrprintsoftheheart.com for details.
Join the Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day Blog Hop.
We are so fortunate our sweet animals leave us such happy memories to make us smile because we sure do miss them, don’t we!
We’re off to bed but will check back tomorrow. Good night and happy dreams.
We truly are fortunate jansfunnyfarm. For however long or short the time we have with them is, they always leave an imprint in our hearts.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share our love for our friends and companions past…. sharing is so good and important. The longer we have loved oft the longer it takes to come to terms with our loss, and this helps so much. Thank You
Thank you ERin the Cat Princess – I know when I created the day last year, I was overwhelmed at the response and at how much comfort it brought to people to have a place to share their special memories.
Beautiful tribute!
Our beautiful angels in fur will always be with us until we meet again.
Purrs xx
Athena and Marie
Thank you Athena and Marie – purrs to you as well!
What a beautiful tribute. Hugs to you as you remember Mr. Jazz on this anniversary.
Thank you Ingrid – I appreciate the hugs.
Such a lovely tribute to those who have gone before and thanks for giving the REST of us a chance to do the same in your blog hop………we keep these sweet memories in our hearts always but it’s nice to bring them out and share them on this special day.
Love, Pam and Sam
Thank you Pam and Sam. I know it’s not always easy to bring up the memories, but I feel that when we collectively share them, it’s like giving one another a big hug of love and support.
[…] have also just found out that it’s Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day and so I wanted to post a black and white photo of my beautiful black and white angel […]
Your Suzy was a beautiful tuxedo kitty. Thank you for stopping by Purrs Full of Love.
Beautiful tribute. I remember my BearBear and Squeaky.
Thank you Sue – RIP sweet BearBear and Squeaky.
This was a wonderful idea. We did not participate as it still so hard to write a post without buckets of tears after losing our Katie, and we had just posted last week about her. Paw hugs go out to all who have lost furry family members recently or anytime in the past. They are never forgotten!
I do understand Emma and I am sorry you lost your precious friend, Katie. I appreciate you stopping by to share your sympathies to others.
It is so special to find a long forgotten photo like that, and you are especially blessed that Jazz finds way to let you know that he is still with you in spirit.
What a beautiful idea to have this day and to be able to share in each other’s sadness as well as the happy memories of those we have lost.
Thank you Jan – it is a very special day. I am always overwhelmed by all the love and emotion that is shared. We’ve all been so very blessed to have our precious pets in our lives.
What a wonderful, heartfelt post. You have loved and lost so many beautiful fur babies. RIP sweeties.
Thank you Mariodacat – I appreciate your sweet comment.
Beautiful picture and beautiful tribute to those who have gone before. Purrs
Thank you Swiss Cats. Loving purrs to you as well.
Thank you for sharing Mr. Jazz with us … and for creating this day when we can share the memories of those we’ve lost. It’s been almost 10 years since Kitty crossed and it still hurts. I get frustrated when people think you can easily remedy the situation by getting another cat. You’d never go up to a woman who just lost her husband of 15 years and tell her it’ll be okay … just get another husband! When I’m trying to explain this to people, I always point out how full my life is with Bear. In a lot of ways, he’s much more THERE and much more actively involved in my life. So if ANY cat could fill the emptiness, it would be him. But, of course, he can’t. Cats are just as unique as people – you’ll never find one with the exact same quirks, the exact same way of loving … they are irreplaceable and intertwined in our hearts forever. And when all is said and done, that love lives on forever as we cherish and honor their memories and appreciate how every single life changed us for the better – made us better people – challenged us to open our hearts just a bit more.
Thank you for such a beautiful and heartfelt comment mommakatandherbearcat. It is true, you can’t ever replace the pet that has been lost with another, but thankfully, if and when you do decide to get another pet, your heart has room to love again. I’m grateful you have Bear in your life and how wonderful that you have such special memories of your precious Kitty.
Beautiful tribute to your beloved Angels.Thank you for creating this special day to honor our lost pets.
You’re welcome Ellen – thank you for stopping by on this special day.
Thank you so much for organizing this day to remember all those pets we have loved and lost.
You are so very welcome Amber – I hope it was able to bring you some love and comfort.
The photos were one of the hardest things for me to deal with. I expressed myself through my photography and I felt like I lost that as well as Abby in August of 2013. It was very painful to go through her photos and KNOW there were never be another one I could take of her, that all I had WAS all I had. All I had left, memories. I too found odd things over the first few months she was gone and then it all stopped. There wasn’t anything left to find. Or at least I haven’t found anything since. But I believe she reincarnates each season as the beautiful black butterflies that visit my garden, her garden, the one I planted for her. Even though it’s been three years, it’s still very. So I do completely understand you’re feeling regarding Mr Jazz and Harley. I lost my Gracie then 6 months after Abby totally unexpectedly.
Yes, Annabelle – going through photos is extremely difficult as you watch your life come and go right before your very eyes. I almost have to divorce myself from the images, as if they don’t belong to me so I can get through the task without falling apart. My heart goes out to you – I know how hard it was for you to lose Abby and Gracie.
Good luck in going through all the photos. I’m sure they are all spectacular, and it will be a hard choice. Thanks for coming up with this very special Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day. where we can reflect on our special pets that have influenced our lives.
Thank you BJ – it’s quite a task to say the least! Thank you also for stopping by – I appreciate your support.
Wonderful tribute to those who have gone before. They will live forever in our hearts until we see them again at the Bridge.
The Florida Furkids
Thank you Florida Furkids – I appreciate you stopping by to pay tribute.
Looks like you haves lost as many precious pets as I have. So hard to have so many gone. Than you for creating this special day to honor them.
Yes, it is hard Cats of the Wildcat Woods. But then I have to ask myself, is it better to never let them into your heart so you don’t have to say goodbye, or is it better to love them for whatever amount of time your blessed to have with them. The pain of letting go is unbearable, but life without a pet would be unbearable too. Thank you for stopping by – my heart is with you!
Beautiful and heartfelt tribute to the most perfect of beings! There are so many of my beloved ones waiting at the Bridge that I would almost be paying tribute every day of the year. But the 30th marks the fourth anniversary of the ascendance of our beloved Samuda as well as the fourteenth year since the passing of my beloved mom, who loved cats very much and taught me all about kindness, gentleness, respect, and protection of them from day one. In remembering all loved ones who have graced my life with their presence, I especially remember them on this day.
jmuhj – yes, there are so many beloved ones at the Bridge – so many that have left an unforgettable impression on my heart. Thank you for stopping by and blessings to you and yours on this special day.
Well furst we’ll say we’re sendin’ big hugs. Great posty and bootyful fotos. Second we didn’t know this was a blog hop. With Raena’s antics and mommy cryin’ so much tryin’ to write this posty, me guesses we’s been unner a rock. But fank you fur hostin’.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Raena
We completely understand Dezi and Raena. We know this is a difficult day for many and our heart goes out to you. xoxox