My soulmate and partner in crime Dexter passed away 5 years ago today. He died of heart disease, which makes no sense because he had the biggest heart I had ever known, overflowing with love. I am re-blogging this post in his honor. His company would make my quarantine so much brighter. My heart was shattered and my sadness unspeakable. This was one of the worst days of my entire life but I do not regret a second I spent with this furry bundle of joy and affection.
Here’s a tribute to my sweet angel Dexter.
Within the past few days I have heard of 2 friends losing their beloved animal companions. Then I had a heartfelt conversation with OM about cats and blogging. While this topic is somewhat off theme, it seems fitting to prepare a simple post about my beloved Dexter.
Dexter
I adopted Dexter back in 2008, a few months after I lost my first cat Jasmine. I renamed him Dexter after careful thought and consideration. It was not because he reminds me of a serial killer. It just suited him better than his original name Sylvester did.
After 16 years ( she was about 8 weeks when I brought her home) , Jasmine succumbed to kidney disease. Watching her decline and deciding when to let her go was among the most agonizingly painful, gut- wrenching times in my entire life. The sadness and pain were almost too much to bear. Jazz died…
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litebeing chronicles 
Sorry to hear about your precious Dexter. I lost my last dog several years ago to heart disease and like your Dex, Benji was all heart. Fortunately he passed away very peacefully, curled up on a sleeping bag. Hope Dexter’s passing was peaceful also. I haven’t owned a dog of my own since Benji’s passing although I dog sit occasionally for family and friends. Is it too early to ask if you plan to take in another cat?
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Dexter’s passing seemed peaceful but his sudden health crisis was traumatic. Fortunately the meds relaxed him and subdued his pain and and the symptoms came quickly and ended with my putting him down the same day.
It is too early to ask, yet it is likely I will adopt again at some time TBD.
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I have been in your position myself with my terrier Bogie. I am incredibly sorry for your loss and am sending you lots of love during this difficult time. ❤️❤️❤️
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thank you Lehua ❤
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Dear Linda,
I think my heart skipped a beat when I clicked over to your post here, sensing your loss and the bond you have revealed with Dexter in glimpses here the past few months. Sending you love and strength… There is a sweetness to be found at the eye of the storm, after the seed of grief is watered, and eventually opens, and flowers…
Much Love to you–
Michael
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Dear Michael,
Thank you for the love and support. I do not feel any sweetness, but am so grateful for the love Dexter expressed to me.
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Hi Linda,
Communication can be challenging in this particular medium. The sweetness was a reference I hoped would be encouraging, based on the notion that every feeling we have, when felt deeply, eventually brings us into our hearts, and into Love. There’s no short-circuiting the first step, which is often the difficult one, particularly with grieving and other feelings that we often interpret as announcing a loss to ourselves. But my experience is that the feelings that hurt me the most initially, when I eventually took a deep breath and ducked my whole head under their waters– after some time and vulnerability to them– opened up eventually into a sweetness. I think ultimately it is because they bring us into a deeper awareness of the solid foundation of our heart within us… Something cracks open, and we find ourselves a level deeper within, fuller and even more deeply alive… a little more aware of what is within us that can never be lost… 🙂
Sending Love!
Michael
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dear linda…. Dex has just changed dimensions…. he is still with you and will help you find your next furry friend… I too just had to put down my Momma cat…she was my heart…. but she was in terrible pain from FIV but she left me her daughter Pitty Pat who has become a most unsual Kitty daughter,,, she takes care of me ,,, rather than vice versa.. Dex will lead you to your “new” companion …. when the time is right
Fran W
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Dear Fran,
I so hope you are right on both fronts. I still flip flop on the afterlife game. I so love the idea that he will lead me to the next bundle of love if and when I decide to adopt again. I adore the idea that Jasmine led me to Dexter. I so often said to myself ” How was I able to find the most remarkably affectionate and sweet cat?”
thank you Fran for supporting me ❤
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Oh I am so, so sad to hear this news. My heart reaches out to you to hugs you. ❤ I am very sorry you have to suffer this loss. Our cats & dogs, are our friends and children. Lots of love sent your way Ms. Linda.
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Thank you Sindy Sue. Dexter was truly my baby and best friend. I do not say this lightly.
love to you ❤
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You are still in my thoughts and prayers. All your friends worldwide are holding you in a love light sister ❤
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I’m so sorry to hear that your beloved compadre Dexter passed away, Linda. It’s a great loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you both. Lots of love, Jamie
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Thank you for your loving support Jamie ❤
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Dear Linda.. I am so so sorry that Dexter passed away.. I can only hold out my heart for your as I so so know the pain of losing such an adorable friend.. A friend who was there to listen and share your days and nights with.. A friend who gave 100% loyalty and unconditional love to you. A friend whom I know you will miss.. As I think back to my own 4 legged feline friends One of 21 yrs one of 14 yrs and One of just 3 years……… Each holds a place no other can take..
I am here and sending you Lots and LOTS of love..
Love Sue ❤
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Thank you Sue. It is clear you understand the depth of my loss. Dexter was an angel in animal form. love to you ❤
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Continuing to send my love to you Linda ❤ ❤ ❤
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Oh, Linda! I am so sorry to hear this. Dexter was a lucky feline to have you, and you were fortunate to have Dexter’s sweet company for as long as you could. I wish you peace and comfort with loving memories of the great years you two had together and the unconditional love Dexter shared. ❤ Love and Light to help you through your sadness, Renate
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Dear Renate,
Thank you for your kind support and care. We were so lucky to have each other. I showered him with attention and responded in return. But his love was bigger and unlimited.
love to you ❤
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My sincere condolescence, Linda. That is really sad. I wish you strength to get through the grief phase.
Peace and blessings,
Karin
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Thank you Karin for your kindness and support. Your presence makes a difference.
peace, Linda
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Dearest Linda,
There are no words to express our sorrow at your profound loss. Dexter was a favorite of ours. And we loved how much comfort, joy, and love you brought each other. For those of us without kids, (you and me and many others) our cats are our children. And when they pass, it as if our child has died before we have. That is not the natural way of things, as we as humans have come to understand them. Though any loss of a family member is difficult, for a parent to lose her child, I think, is particularly so.
I wish that we had more words to provide you comfort at this time, besides our sincerest condolences. Please take whatever time you need to grieve. Do not feel rushed or pressed or silly. Embrace whatever enters your heart. Cry at will, and often. Do not resent the emotions of loss, but embrace them. I think that allows for the fastest healing, from my experience. As Dexter’s soul passes to the next dimension, you will feel his physical energy markers dissipating naturally from the rooms he shared with you. But know that he is always like your side in spirit and in soul, as your other cats that have passed are. You have another furry angel watching you from the heavens.
He was blessed to have you as his mom in this world, and his journeys in the next worlds are just beginning. Keep comfort in that sacred knowledge that there is so much beyond this physical world!!
RIP Dearest Dexter.
Hugs to the infinite and beyond!
O and OM
your fellow odyssians
PS. call us if you need to talk.
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❤
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You basically said it all here. Thank you articulating my thoughts. I do not feel his or my other cat’s presence but the love and memories are strong.
Hug Odie tight and give him a squeeze for me and on behalf of Dexter, He loved physical contact.
❤ Linda
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Hi LL,
I will give Odie lots of hugs for both of you. Our time here must never be taken for granted. Hugs shows how much we care – in the present. Thus my sign off to you,
Hugs, as always,
o and om.
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Oh Linda, I am so so sorry. Grief hurts so much. It just feels utterly unbearable. It is such an incredibly deep experience to have your heart break open – the pain, yet the gratitude for the love and the relationship. The depth of the pain is the depth to which you love. I am thinking of you with heartfelt tenderness as you go through this excruciating time. When I lose a loved one, it helps me a little to write down everything I can remember, as I cry. Every expression or behavior or anything…<3
Be gentle with you.
Mary
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Thank you Mary for showering me with compassion. While I do not know you well, it is evident you have a huge capacity for love.
love, linda
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So sad Linda. Paul and I lost our beloved Clare to the same disease. I recall still how shocking it was as Clare had seemed so healthy. And like Dexter, had the biggest heart I have ever known a cat to have.
Sharing tears with you now. Agreed though, I’d never take back the love that I felt for Clare and the seven years we spent with her loving us.
Peace and love to you Linda.
Deb
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Hi Deb,
I think the Divine designed it so we could share our loss of our cats to heart disease. There is some comfort for me in knowing I was not alone in this circumstance. We also had just seven years together, He was about 4 when I got him ( age was unknown.)
thank you for sharing your love of Clare with me. ❤
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Dear Linda,
I so agree! Our meeting each other here has brought us together, and for so many reasons, maybe some yet to be known, but for sure, to share our love for Dexter and Clare, and to seek peace for them and for our loss of their extra big hearts.
D
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Hi dearest Linda,
I just signed in to see how Dexter is doing earlier. Please call if you need to or just want to talk. I have no words. I am so sorry for your loss.
Love,
Ka
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thank you Ka for feeling so deeply… ❤
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❤
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it’s okay… more ❤
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You wrote, “no reply :(” as your own reply to “<3" I'm not sure how to put feelings into words all the time, so I said, "it's okay…and more <3" Meaning, words are currently unavailable… filling the space with love… sending hugs and aware of your grief and opening for more understanding… for us all.
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It’s interesting because from WP’s perspective on this end… the image of the HEART ❤ was delivered. 😀
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Hi Ka,
The notification app must be faulty. I am here on the post and your heart is very much present on the page. Sorry about that. Must be a glitch.
<3<3<3
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no apologies necessary 🙂 I am glad you asked me to clarify ❤ perhaps technology wanted more hearts and comments.
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I also see your beautiful heart triad now ~ because of switching views… I agree, and I think the notify aspect of the software doesn’t show everything. They say that 93% of all daily communication is nonverbal, I wonder what percentage it is online, nonverbal?
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communication is so incomplete and subjective. Yet occasionally it is supremely crystal clear..
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