Sunday, December 14, 2008

RIP little Willie

It's been awhile since I last posted....it took me one week to prepare for Thanksgiving, one week to recover and now I'm full throttle into Christmas....

My son's hamster died yesterday.  Willie hadn't seemed quite right for awhile....very inactive, not eating much, etc.  So it wasn't a huge shock to find out that he died.  My son took the news very well and kept commenting on how mature he was acting.  "Mom, I'm very sad but I'm acting very mature, aren't I?"  I kept giving him hugs telling him it was alright to cry and it's okay to be sad. He said he was sad but that he knew "Willie will always be on a little wheel in my heart."

The day progressed and we went about other activities.  Last night we went to Oliver! and during the performance, my son leaned over to me and said:  "Mom, it just doesn't feel right. I'm having a fun time and then all of a sudden I remember about Willie and I get sad again.  The world feels differently now that Willie has died.  Mom, have you ever felt that way?  Is that how you felt about your mom?"  

On some level, he's right.  The pang you get in your stomach when you realize that someone you loved is no longer on earth, can only be described to someone else who has experienced loss. It's the universal feeling of mourning at a very basic level.

2 comments:

Kate said...

I lost my mother to. She was 38 and I was 18. I am sorry for your loss.

Gberger said...

I think you are right; that's a profound observation.
I love that your son is so in tune with his feelings, and feels safe to share them with you. You obviously have a great rapport with him. That's beautiful.