Goodbye my friend

Today Paws said goodbye to a dear friend in our store.  Sumo our 22 year old tuxedo cat has been put to sleep after a sudden illness.  
Sumo was a regal gentleman that pursued customers that weren't cat people, canine and human alike!  He would follow them throughout the store and meow mercilessly.  Those who are cat lovers would cradle him in their arms and carry him about the store, or some would pet him until he drooled.
In posting this and on Facebook to all of his fans and frenimies (canines)  I am struck by the difficulty of not only the task itself, but the making of a very difficult decision such as this.
Pet owners everywhere are plagued with carrying out this very difficult decision at one time or other.
In the shop we hear about the losses of clients pets and IT always comes into the conversation.  For some it is more difficult to lose a pet than to lose a person in their life, for others it is the one part of the cycle in owning a pet that precludes them from taking on another.
Grief is a tough customer.  I am, however, one of the many that would rather have known all these wonderful souls in my life than not.  I would have missed so many smiles, beautiful walks on the beach, constant companionship, playtime, unconditional love that is so rare in humanity....the list is endless.  Without the care and compassion from our pets life might be easier due to the grief and saddness in the end, but so much more empty of the happiness and heart.
Thank you to all of the animals that have come and gone and to those with me today, my life is so much richer having had you in it.  I am very lucky to have known you.