I Swear You Will Be Fine

Dear Josh,

I hung out with some friends a few days ago and there is a part of the evening that I’d like to talk about. Overall, the meetup was great! R and I went to J and L’s house – I haven’t been to their place since they moved in – and we played Mahjong for most of the night. I was considering teaching you how to play Mahjong in 2024 because my family usually plays during Chinese New Year. I think you would have really liked it. It’s a game that’s a combination of both skill and luck. I was second place that night – lost $8, but it could have been worse – so I was quite pleased. Your mum and I have been talking about her learning how to play. I think she would like it too. It can be quite the thinking game!

That’s not the main point of this post though. I wanted to share about J’s dog, Little K. Little K passed on a few weeks ago. It was only today that R told me it was a sudden and unexpected death which made his passing even sadder. I felt for J already when she shared that her dog passed because we all knew how much she loved Little K. I didn’t ask for the details of his passing – something I’ve learned through my own grief – and just sent J a message when I heard the news.

The minute I entered J and L’s house that day, a doggy bed caught my eye. Beside the sofa was a doggy bed, a bowl of water, and a plate with a dog treat. J has left the place exactly the same even after Little K passed. If you hadn’t known of the news, you’d be waiting for a dog to appear. A little while later, L gave us a house tour and I saw another doggy bed beside their bed in the master bedroom. If I recall right, there was a blanket on it that looked slept in. It was cute in a sad way – that everything was left the same.

Of course, this made me think of you and how we left your room in the same way. In those moments where I saw the dog beds, I felt for J. It must be so hard losing a pet, especially one that has been with her for 15 years. In some way, I felt like I could understand a part of what she might have been feeling.

Sure, we’re grieving a different relationship, a whole different species of life, but grief is grief. No matter who or what you’re grieving, grief puts you in the same boat.

If you do see Little K, Josh, please take care of him for J. I don’t think I got to meet him, but he seems like a sweet boy.

I can’t wait to see you again. I love you more, always, and forever.

Love always,
Sha