Losing a Loved One

Have you ever loved someone or something in your life only to have it die? A sad part of life is death. All living things die. What does this tell us? Life is precious and something that we shouldn’t take for granted.


I remember when my first pet died. He was a black cat named Inky. I found him in my closet curled up as if he were sleeping. My dad checked and told me Inky wasn’t breathing, he had died. What amazes me to this day is the fact that my dad took the time to make a wooden box for Inky. We buried him in the back yard and planted some flowers in that spot. We talked about Inky and all the fun times we had with him. It was sad but it helped me deal with losing my furry friend.

Everybody feels different things at different times when a loved one dies. You might cry, or you might not. You might feel angry or empty. You might feel sad or tired. You may feel nothing. These feelings are all normal. The important thing is to tell a grownup and not keep your feelings stuck inside you.

At school it’s a good idea to let your teacher know so that if you act a little different he’ll understand. If you need to take a walk, get a drink of water, or talk to the school counselor, that might help. Your friends may not know what to do or say. They may say something that makes you sadder or even angry. They may hover over you and annoy you. Remember they care about you and are just trying to help. Ask a grownup to assist you, if you need it.

Writing about your loved one might be helpful. You could write about all the great times you had together. That would be an awesome tribute to them and a great remembrance for you to enjoy in the years to come.

There are a lot of great books out there that might comfort you. When I feel sad about losing my dogs I read “Dog Heaven” by Cynthia Rylant. I like to think that they’re up in heaven playing together. I just ordered Cynthia Rylant’s “Cat Heaven.” I have two old cats and I know I’m going to need some consoling when they die someday because I know all living things die. Sad but true.

Have you ever lost a loved one? Please leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you.