Us counsellors don’t often share much about ourselves, it’s all to do with the professional boundaries we keep and that’s for a very good reason. But if we are to be truly genuine in our work, then there comes a time when sharing a little of yourself is a positive thing.

So, here we go and to be honest, it’s a bit raw but then some of the great writers of our time produced their best work at difficult times.

We lost a little faithful friend this morning, a cockatiel called Spock, who was about 18 years old, and that’s according to my research. Yeah, ‘It’s only a bird,’ some might say. Not me, nor my wife who knew the little fella for many more years than I. He was the one who always chirruped every time you walked in the kitchen.

Last week we had to take one of our four cats (there were 6 last year, but two have died in the intervening period) who had had a massive nosebleed to the vet. We thought it was the end for the poor thing, but after a good examination by the vet, and some pills prescribed, which we now have to give her daily, the little one is back to a semblance of normality. Oh, I forgot to mention; she was diagnosed as having lost her sight nearly three years ago. The vet assured us she’d adjust and adjust she has.

Before that episode, another one of our brood was really off colour. The chatty one, Jock, who thinks he’s holding a conversation with you, was not right. Up to the vets and he had a gum infection which had really laid him low. Three injections and a course of antibiotics, and the big fella was bouncing around again, expressing his opinion to anyone who would listen.

However, the other black and white one, Dodger, who had courted the big cat bed in the sky three years back, was very poorly. This was now the Monday after Jock had made a visit to the vet. In the interim, Dodger had a relapse from three years ago and we duly whisked him back to what now seems like our second home. Prognosis? Not good, but injections and tablets might help. They didn’t and on the Thursday of the same week, we had to make a decision on his future – his life. God forbid if EVER I need to make that decision for a human!!! Anyway, we had to do the kindest thing and he sadly left us.

And here I am today, having had a good cry earlier, also one at the vets and I will probably express the same emotion again later just as I did for the gorgeous black and white who had to slipped away. And I WILL cry, not because I’m weak, but because I allow the positive emotions that create the equilibrium in life to let me enjoy life, those around me, including animals who are precious to so many, to be balanced. Mine are tears of love. I guess because a relationship has ended.

As I said, this is raw, so forgive the grammar if it’s a little iffy and the gentle quips are a coping strategy. But on we go. We have four cats still with us and although we have lost other pets, these will have the same love afforded to them alive and when they meet their end. Such is life and life is such.

Thanks for reading.