Every season has its change and I will see you when the sun comes out again...

How do you remember a loved ones that has passed? When it was someone older--like my father--who had lived a long, rich life, it felt like the end of a story. But what about a pet, a creature who depends on you for almost everything and gives unconditional love in return?

As my magical cat was succumbing to cancer, I read this article about how we can sometimes grieve more for a pet than a person, and found I had many feelings in common with the author.

And in the strange way my lil' guy came into our lives, he decided to check out during an equally strange time of change. The cherry and plum blossoms have started to come in with spring, and things around the house are shifting as we get rid of old furniture and bring in some new pieces. Chino came into our lives as something other than what we expected. And when we picked up his ashes this past weekend, he came back to us in a box we never would have chosen but that fits him so well.

Life is full of these wonderful little surprises.