{A Season of Remembrance}

One year on. One year of living without your best friend. A four-legged friend you’ve known since birth, who didn’t ask for much other than your unconditional love and loyalty, just as he gave to you.

It’s been a tough year for our family, particularly you, my quiet, caring and sensitive boy. The one who always takes his responsibility and looking out for others seriously. Only tragically, this time last year you couldn’t help your best friend through his pain. And understandably you asked us questions at the time and even now (on the anniversary) if something could have been done to help. Sadly, the answer is always a no.

We will never know if that added to your own pain, but we want to be honest as parents because we know life is full of ups and downs. Sometimes that means experiencing joy, but also feeling genuine sorrow. As much as we protect our children, we know we cannot shield you from it. To do that would be living in a pretence and I don’t want that for either me or you. So, we allow you to ask all the questions you want to ask us even if we don’t have the answers for everything. Just so you know that whatever happens everything will be ok.

This is ‘Season of Motherhood’, part of the Artefact Motherhood project, where we tell a story with one picture that depicts our current season of motherhood. Visit the next photographer and artist in our blog circle, Hollie Stokes.