Entering the Shadow
This time of year is hard for me. I do love the dark half of the year! Rain and apples and blowing leaves and pumpkins and cocoa and all. I'm ready for all of that. But soon the images of black cats come out. The truth is I have been utterly empty and alone since my familiar died. I feel like the best part of me went with him. Now I am his ghost. You can't say this to the people you know. They will wonder why their love and support isn't enough for you, why it isn't healing you. The trust, the unity and clarity of purpose, the oneness that you can feel with an animal just can't be reproduced with another human. It's not entirely their fault. They are what they are. This is one of the many burdens that you must carry alone. I don't know if I'll have another pet one day. It's gotten so expensive - and so painful - that I've had to take a break. I do know that I won't find another like him. I wish we'd had more time. We always say that, do...