In this episode, Scott shares a personal story of losing his 2 cats, Nomar and Mia, and his thoughts about processing grief.

Hello, my name is Scott and welcome to Soulful Paws. First of all, I just wanted to say that I'm so sorry for your loss, if you're going through the loss of a pet. I am somebody that has also lost a pet. I've lost two cats, Nomar and Mia. And, uh, I'm so sorry. Uh, normally these episodes are meditations or affirmations, but today I just wanted to talk for a couple minutes.

How do we survive? Because it is hard. It is difficult. What you're going through, what I've gone through and still going through, and there's no way to really, uh, predict how you're going to feel each day. I just wanted to let you know that I've been there. You know, it's been almost nine months since I've lost Mia, or actually I guess it's been a little bit over nine months since I've lost Mia.

I lost her June of, June 23rd, uh, of last year. So it's been a little bit over nine months. And I've been there. I've been crippled, uh, overwhelmed, uh, drowning in despair. Tears and depression and dark times been, you know, brought to my knees and, and just overwhelmed with extreme sadness and not knowing how to live without my cats.

And I felt this way after both, both of them passed away. Um, After Nomar passed, the blessing was I still had Mia. Not that that made the grieving or the sadness or the tears any less, but I had her for comfort. When Mia passed away, I had nobody for comfort. So I, I live alone and it was extremely lonely.

And I actually was afraid to be home, so I slept on a friend's sofa for three and a half months because I just did not want to be home, especially at night. Um, didn't want to be alone. And I don't have any words or really advice to share with you. Like, there's no playbook. Do step one, two, and three, and it'll all be better.

The truth is you just have to go through it and it takes some time and we don't know how long it's going to take because you're unique, right? Your relationship with your pet was unique and personal and only you could feel what you're feeling right now. Um, so I just wanted to give you some encouragement and some words.

Uh, it has gotten better. I still feel sad, uh, especially with Mia because hers was more recent. I still cry sometimes. I just cried a few minutes ago because I was thinking about, it's Nomar's birthday today and it's his first birthday with Mia in, in kitty heaven. Um, so just have comfort, hopefully they're together.

Uh, and I just, uh, it, you know, in terms of, Adopting another pet. Only you can kind of figure out when and if you're going to be ready for that. I wasn't for a long time. I do have Joy now. I just adopted two cats, two kittens. They're about eight months. They're running around here right now. They're brothers.

Um, their names are NiKo and Milo. I wanted to give them names. That started with the same initial as Nomar and Mia just to kind of remember them But they're a lot of fun. They bring me joy. They bring me happiness. I Wasn't a hundred percent sure if I was ready and I didn't know if I would ever be a hundred percent sure If I was gonna be ready to adopt Two new cats and as you know, it doesn't mean you love the first pets, any less.

Um, anyway, those are my thoughts today on my birthday, on Nomar's birthday. Hope they give you a little bit of comfort. And again, thank you for listening. Have a great day.