When I came up the stairs tonight, I caught myself looking for my old cat Lucy in one of her familiar napping spots either on the couch or on top of the chair. It took a second before I remembered that she’s been gone since June of last year.

Even though I had her in my life for 17 years, I still wish there had been more time.

It seems that with our loved ones, we get greedy (but in a good way). No matter how much time we have together or how long they live, it never seems like enough. Even if they live to be 105 years old, it still will be too soon for them to say goodbye.

I don’t have an answer for how to learn to be content with the amount of time we or our loved ones are given. I do think that it’s important to take all the time we have with those we love and redeem it to its full potential.

There will probably always be regrets after the fact of missed opportunities and wasted time. There will be days when things overtake people in your priorities.

You can’t go back and undo yesterday’s missed opportunities or go forward to make sure you do right.

You can only use what time you’re given in the time that’s called today, the gift of the present.

You can choose to be fully present to those who love you and whom you love.

I know to some it may sound crazy to grieve over the loss of a pet, but I don’t regret my tears. I see how the memory of her passing is giving way to all the memories of the beautiful moments we had.

Plus, I have Peanut to help continue to heal my heart.

As the old saying goes, don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.