It’s okay to be sad, Becca.
I’m not sad, Mommy.
You loved Chester, and now he’s gone, and I’m proud of you for being so brave, but if you need to cry, Mommy understands.
I mean, all he did was swim around. He seemed kind of lonely. Maybe it’s better this way.
The passing of your first pet is an important moment in your life, Becca. Don’t rush past the opportunity this presents.
I don’t understand.
Well, just like that goldfish–well, not just like that goldfish–but Rusty will die one day too.
But Rusty’s only a puppy. How is he going to die?
Well, any number of ways. He might run out into the street. Or he might get savaged by a pit bull and have to get put down. He might get colitis–that’s a disease of the intestinal tract, and is a very painful way for a dog to die. Or maybe Mommy or Daddy will be late for work and Rusty will run out the front door and get backed over by Mommy or Daddy’s car. Or maybe he’ll dig out from under the fence and eat some poison left out for raccoons, or drink antifreeze, or… well, there are a lot of ways for Rusty to die. And Chester gave his life so that you could better cherish Rusty’s life while you can. And so that you can prepare yourself for when Rusty does die. Which, you never know when that will come.
I feel sad now, Mommy. I feel sad all over.
And when Rusty dies, which hopefully will be years and years from now, it will hurt more than this. And that will prepare you for when Mommy and Daddy die. Which hopefully will be after you’re an adult, so that you don’t end up in foster care.
Please don’t die, Mommy.
I’ll do my best, Becca, but no promises.
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Just curious… who wrote this and where did it come from???
Did you mean, perhaps, who wrote this and why?
One of our Author/Editors, PR Griffis, wrote it. As to why, we have no satisfactory answer for you.
Our best guess? A messed-up childhood.