I used to worry

 I used to worry—

what happens when the paws I love take their last steps?
Do they disappear into nothing?
Do they fade into silence?

But then I dreamt of you.

I saw fields that stretched forever.
Grass tall enough to tickle your belly.
Streams of cool water to splash your paws.
And light that never fades,
warmth that never ends.

And there you were—whole, strong, happy.
Running, leaping, rolling with joy.
Your eyes shining, your tail wagging.

No pain. No fear.
Just freedom.
Just love.

So now, when my heart aches,
I picture you there—
running free in forever fields,
waiting for me to come home.

And I hold onto the promise
that one day, I’ll see you sprinting across that meadow,
faster than ever,
straight into my arms.