Grief
As we grow up with pets,
We forget
That they can't be with us forever
Because someday
With or without knowing, we will touch their fur for the last time
Kiss them
Hug them
All for the last time.
We will hear their last meow,
Or bark
Or their last pleading look,
The day we got them,
Turns into their last day
Although they may get on your nerves
They might annoy you
Or even make you mad
But you must know, it's their first time living
And all they want to do is love you
Until they can't anymore.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
2 days ago
- Irish Times
Yes, we allow our 9-year-old out on her own. The real monsters are inside on the internet
This is how it started: Daughter Number Four would ask to take little expeditions by herself. A walk around the block or a short bike ride. And, because she's nine and we want to foster a bit of independence and resilience and all that good stuff, we'd say yes. Not that this was easy. The first few times we were in bits, glued to the front windows waiting for her to return. Then we'd have to act all cool when she got back, unharmed and totally unfazed by her solo travel experience. But quickly – far more quickly than we imagined we would – we got used to it. There was a natural progression to allowing her to go to the park – a five-minute walk away – where she would meet her friends. The occasional weekend excursion turned into every weekend. Now we can't keep her in the house. There is a golden rule that you should never, ever criticise another parent's decisions. To their face, that is. Wait until you get back to your own house. But given that you're reading this, you can get stuck into the judgment straight away. There are parents who wouldn't dream of allowing their children to leave the house by themselves. The world is too dangerous, too full of potential threats. Or that's the way it seems. READ MORE [ My daughter drags us on to rollercoasters but is wary of the monkey bars. People are a mystery Opens in new window ] Being a parent nowadays seems to involve the grim business of risk assessment. So here is ours: last Christmas, we got her this phone/watch yoke that allows her to call friends and family and also allows us to track her location. Her friends have similar devices. We know where she is and we can check in on her to make sure she's okay. Some of her friends live right beside the park, so we know an adult is less than a minute away. We also live in a very child-friendly area: the park is routinely filled with children and parents. If Daughter Number Four got into some sort of difficulty, I'm sure they would intervene. But most of all, it's down to Daughter Number Four herself. She's careful crossing roads (which aren't busy anyway), and it's been drilled into her to be wary of adults she doesn't know. Especially if they claim to know me or her mother. Does this absolutely guarantee her safety? Of course not. We could have opted to go full helicopter and accompany her to the park, but that goes against the very idea of going out to play, of exploring her environment, using her imagination, of building up her own social network – the same way we did when we were children. The slight risk is worth that enormous benefit. And how great is the 'risk' anyway? Panic-inducing social media and nervous parents WhatsApp groups would have you believe that our public spaces are crawling with child abductors. But such cases are, in reality, exceptionally rare. Keep them at home, and give them internet access. That's where the real monsters are. You might have detected a slightly defensive tone here: and you'd be right. Every time she leaves the house, we both experience a low hum of anxiety. We check in on her regularly. She always answers our calls and comes home when she's told. And when she returns, she always has something to tell us: a squabble among her group or something she witnessed in the park. One day she ended up going to a barbecue. On a recent Saturday I rang her to tell her to come home for lunch. She answered, 'Okay. How long will that take?' And for some reason that flung me back to my own childhood. Not a specific memory; more a feeling of what it was like. It's not the most appropriate word, but it was intoxicating, being out playing with friends. Far more important than boring lunch. And that's how it should be.
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Irish Times
Jury being picked in trial of Dublin firefighter accused of rape in US over St Patrick's weekend
Jury selection has begun in a Boston court in the case against a Dublin firefighter charged with raping a woman in a hotel during St Patrick's Day weekend in 2024. Opening statements are expected on Monday at the Suffolk Superior Courthouse in the trial of Terence Crosbie (38). Mr Crosbie faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty over the alleged assault of a 28-year-old woman in a Boston hotel room. He has pleaded not guilty and denied having 'any sort of sexual contact whatsoever' with the woman, his attorney Daniel C Reilly told the court. READ MORE He is accused of assaulting the woman after his colleague Liam O'Brien met her at a nearby bar and brought her back to the men's shared hotel room. Mr O'Brien is one of more than two dozen witnesses expected to testify, the court heard on Thursday morning. Potential jurors were informed that detectives, crime lab specialists and Boston area residents were also expected to testify, in addition to Aer Lingus staff. Mr Crosbie flew into Boston on Thursday, March 14th, 2024 with his colleagues to take part in the city's St Patrick's Day celebrations. On Thursday, Judge Sarah Ellis asked potential jurors if the defendant's nationality 'or the fact that he speaks with an accent' would make it difficult for them to be fair and impartial. She also asked them about their personal histories with sexual assault, alcohol consumption and other potential biases. US assistant district attorney Erin Murphy previously told the court that the accuser and Mr O'Brien met at The Black Rose, a downtown bar, and left together for the Omni Parker House, a historic hotel in Boston, at about 11.30pm. It is claimed that the complainant then had consensual sex with Mr O'Brien before falling asleep. According to Ms Murphy, Mr Crosbie entered the hotel room at 1.55am and the accuser woke up to find Mr Crosbie 'actively raping her.' The complainant allegedly asked Mr Crosbie to stop and he did not. Instead, he is alleged to have said he 'knew that she wanted this' and that it was 'pathetic' that his colleague was asleep. The complainant reported the alleged assault to police the following morning. After being questioned by Boston police about the alleged assault, Mr Crosbie attempted to leave the country on an early flight home. Mr Crosbie has been held in the Nashua Street jail in Boston since his arrest. His attorney previously claimed he was unable to make bail.
Irish Times
5 days ago
- Irish Times
Donald Trump's pick as ambassador to Ireland Edward Walsh makes the cut with US senators
New Jersey businessman Edward Walsh, Donald Trump's pick to be US ambassador to Ireland, has been confirmed by the US senate. Mr Walsh was approved by US senators in a confirmation vote on Wednesday evening with American lawmakers voting 57 to 38 in his favour. Eight Democratic senators, including Virginia's Tim Kaine, Hillary Clinton's running mate on the Democratic presidential ticket, and Minnesota's Amy Klobuchar, joined the Republican side of the chamber in advancing the president's nomination in the morning vote on a count of 60-37. Those opposed to his appointment were comprised entirely of Democratic senators, along with the Vermont independent Bernie Sanders. READ MORE Mr Walsh was introduced at his confirmation hearing last month by Senator Lindsey Graham, the Republican, as one of Trump's closest friends. 'So, to our friends in Ireland you're getting one of the closest friends that President Trump has and that will benefit you because when Ed picks up the phone President Trump will answer,' said Graham. The construction company founder and philanthropist is a member and two-time champion player at the golf course Mr Trump owns in Bedminster, New Jersey. In making the nomination, the US president described Mr Walsh as a 'champion golfer' who would be 'a very good asset for an ambassador to Ireland to have.' Mr Walsh is understood to have a home in the US president's Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Edward Walsh (in navy T-shirt), who has been confirmed by the US senate as ambassador to Ireland, poses with US president Donald Trump at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. The new ambassador is a graduate of Villanova University where he spent his first semester in hospital following a serious car crash. He met his wife Lynn while at Villanova and the couple has three daughters, Rachel, Maggie and Anna, and two grandchildren. The appointment will mark Mr Walsh's first foray into diplomacy. Among the issues raised at his confirmation hearing was the conviction, forwarded by a series of Republican lawmakers, that Ireland was 'out of step' with the United States in its relationship with Israel and its stance on Gaza. Mr Walsh pledged to convey that sentiment when his role was made official. 'I do understand the issue, but I am really looking forward to diving into more detail,' Mr Walsh said. 'President Trump has been very clear that Ireland is an ally and there's no room for anti-Semitism throughout the world. It will definitely be a big part of my conversations with them. I hear you. I would be glad to meet you on it.' Mr Walsh has strong family ties with Ireland. He said at his hearing that he anticipates helping both countries in 'fostering even deeper collaboration that will drive economic growth, create jobs, and enhance prosperity for the United States and the great people of Ireland'.
