Pearls Before Swine by Stephan Pastis for August 25, 2024

Awww, that is a very nice strip!

Don’t know what to say here.

Always know that loved ones will be kept in your heart for all eternity.

Such a Sweet Pearls Story!! Of course, Rat will cause Chaos on Monday…

They must have bribed Rat to stay out of today’s strip.

Can’t believe Pastis came out with this, somethings coming! Hang on

The good news: The loves of my life are in my heart as long as I am alive.

The bad news: What happens to them when I’m gone?

This is really beautiful.

Powerful, wonderful…thank you

Beautiful. I hope everything is all okay

Thank you.

You have my sympathy Stephan.

Need to clean the screen. Kinda blurry all of a sudden.

My mom died in 1965 when I was eight. Since then there hasn’t been a day when I haven’t thought about her.

I got bleary-eyed reading this one on a personal level. This strip coincides with the passing of my mother eleven years ago today – Sunday, August 25, 2013. :-(

Miss me but let me go

Thank you, Stephan. (୨୧•͈ᴗ•͈)◞ᵗʱᵃᵑᵏઽ*♡

I think it was said best by Dr. Leonard McCoy after the death of Mr. Spock: “He’s really not dead, as long as we remember him”- from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

When I die, I’m taking everyone I love with me.

#notathreat

Her name is “RIP”, Pig? Hahaha!

Someone died?

Dang, one of your best strips ever Pastis! First class. Time for the tissue at 3AM here in Tampa……

Beautifully writ, Steph.

I miss my mom. Glioblastoma murdered her a couple years ago (Cancer is not natural, no matter what the science tells me. I bitterly view it as a microscopic-murderer) and I mourn for her to this day. This strip? Yeah….let’s just say Pig is more of a healer than even he realizes. He’s not allowed to be called a failure anymore.

Thanks, Stephan. You brought tears to this widow’s eyes. Lost the love of my life almost 14 years ago.

What prompted this?

On the 6th anniversary of my father passing away. Thanks Stephan.

Liked and Pinned.

I think there’s a story here.

When has a comic strip made me cry? I don’t remember, but thank you Pastis. This may be the best ever.

Once again, we see that “In Humor, There IS Truth”

Nothing needs to be said. Pig’s said it all…

Wonderful sentiment here I can relate to.

Hey, I’m supposed to laugh here, not tear up!

It was a year and six months ago, my wife passed away…………………Thank you Stephan

Hugs.

Aaawww, how sweet X

Speechless…..ok, I’m listening….messages and taps on the shoulder are all around….if i look andisten

this comic page speaks to me big time. 10 Stars.

Reminds me of a Henry Scott Holland poem

Wonderfully insightful strips like this more than compensate for Pastis’ epic puns.

Pearls isn’t always edginess and irreverence. It can be heartfelt and touching, too.

Words of Wisdom from Pig … Did not Think he had it in him :-)

Hugs are good for the soul.

No greater sadness than the loss of one’s spouse.

Welll…. okay Pig. Okay.

This is the most wholesome pearls before swine ever

I wanted to say, “have you hugged your pig today?” but it seems disrespectful somehow.

I’m not crying. You’re crying.

Been through this, can’t read today’s comic without a tear in my eye! :.(

Four months since my wife died on the day before our 28th anniversary. This hits home so nicely. Thanks, Stephen.

What happened to Pig? That’s the nicest he’s ever been to anyone.

Crying…

Reminds me of “The Little Prince” story. Fox: “It is only in the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

“In other words, emotions don’t have to make logical sense. The fox will grieve the prince because he has established an emotional bond with him that causes him to value his company. That bond is invisible but no less real for being invisible, and breaking it will cause the fox pain.”

Wonderful strip, thank you Stephan.

Pig says, “So she’s not gone. She’s just moved.”

When my oldest sister died, I had an especially vivid dream in which she spoke to me.

She said, “I’m not gone. I’ve just stepped slightly to the side for a time.”

Never had a “visitation” like that before or since, but it still feels real these decades later.

This would bring a tear to a glass eye.

Lost my dad in 2019.

When famous science fiction writer Robert Heinlein was a young man, he wrote perhaps the most satisfying story about dying that has ever been penned:

The Man Who Traveled in Elephants

It’s very rare for me to keep a comic strip. In nearly 70 years, I have less than 5, all very personal. This one will be added to the list.

Animation studio Pixar began its finest movie, UP, with a wordless twenty minute recap of an old man’s life. Like this strip, it brought tears to my eye.

Absolute truth.

Sorry, but merely being able to imagine a deceased loved one is poor comfort.

Oh Dear Sweet Wonderful Pig! It is because of you that I look at this comic every day.

Lovely sentiment, Pig.

I like it when Pastis takes the occasional break from humor and gives readers the feels.

Losing them is tough. My father died at 47 and my brother at 54. Never have been able to get over the shock.

Remembering my parents and my younger brother today…..

I’m just gonna say it.

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

That’s so sweet!

Snif Please, don’t ,make me cry…

The things those who don’t know God convince themselves of……………

that is really a beautiful thought in order to get comfort in a time of sorrow, thank you

Good timing. Today would have been 34 years if marriage. She passed away exactly 7 months ago.

Wisdom from the pain……

Pastis; from one end of the spectrum to the other… Thanks.

Wow

This brings to mind the strip he did when he had to have his dog put down (12-09-2018). I wonder if he’s lost someone close to him.

Thank you.

Can see why there are so many likes, great strip.

I’m crying that was beautiful

Awwww, beautiful and wonderful. I love the colors!

Why Pig is in the strip.

How sweet! Thank you, Mr. Pastis!

My mom died three weeks ago today. This strip is very true.

This is so true.

Thank you Stephan. Thursday marked six months since my 13 year old daughter’s passing from a brain tumor. I have read your strip every day since then because it was in her daily comic feed, not mine. I’ve grown (or should that be “groan”?) to love your puns as much as she did. Thank you for this tribute today, to all of our loved ones who have transitioned out of this physical form but live on forever- in our hearts and in ways we can’t fully comprehend.

Seven months since my wife died. Thank you, Steph.

I have to go find a box…case of Kleenex now.

Why was it Pig who did this?

Because Pig is so often beaten down and depressed, he UNDERSTANDS. He’s travelled the dark roads of the soul himself and knows what helps and what doesn’t.

I wish Pig was in my life.

Pig’s the best comforting people over lost loved ones. I remember when he comforted Pastis about his father-in-law’s passing <3

So sweet.

Pig had the best words

I’m having problems spotting the pun – otherwise a very touching strip today…

Thank you, Stephan. It was ten years ago yesterday and I still talk to her. <3

What the heck? I’m not supposed to get blurry screen from a Pearls strip!

Is anyone else crying?

Wow. I wasn’t expecting this. I’m guessing Pastis lost someone very special? The strip is beautiful.

Pig never gets hugged. This is so sweet.

Mine moved 20 years ago. I still miss her.

Only 6 months. I miss my Mom!

My wife went through hours of therapy when our son died. All she would have needed is this comic.

I still cry over Stephan’s December 9, 2018 comic in memory of his beloved dog Edee.

Pig SCORES!!

Well, here is me, a 52 year old man, reading the Sunday comics and crying. D*mn you, Pastis! And thank you.

We don’t deserve Pig, but Pig is always there anyway….

Don’t know about anyone else, but made me tear up… [sniff]

Oh Pig … perfect

Very appropriate on a personal level this particular day. Thanks Steph.

And there is always hope…

I almost cried. Then I smiled, remembering my mother.

When the body moves on, the vacancy creates a great sense of loss, but love lives on and is eternal, and the connection to loved ones will always be there for us. I like to think it is a bond that can never truly be broken, and will one day, some how, renew itself.

I am heartened to see so many positive and numerous comments here. May the trolls someday know this kind of love,

Did Pastis lose someone near and dear? It sounds like it.

Absolutely the best.

Thank you, Stephen.

Nicely done, Stephan ♥♥♥

That was beautiful!

As a recent widow, this one made me cry. Again…

I sense a Story here. But there’s no way I would knowingy intrude enough to find out what it is. Pig is right, you know……

We just finished Monk on Netflix last night. This is so relevant to the show.

OMG, that’s so beautiful…

Darn it, Pastis, that hit way too close to home.

Too many of these now.

We should all have a friend like Pig.

My partner of 22 years died just last Sunday night. This really hit home.

Thank you, pig. Thank you, Stephen. It’s been 4 years but the hurt has never eased, today you made me cry, I needed to cry. Thanks again.

Once again, Stephan nails it!

IF that’s all there is, I might as well forget everybody I loved who has passed — it won’t make any difference to them, and I can go on without missing them. Yeah, doesn’t work that way, so it’s just sad. They’re just gone, and all that’s moved is where I file the memories of them as those fade away. I’m glad I don’t have to feel that’s how it is.

pig is really nice.

❤️

Touching… and caring!

Comic strips should not make you cry.

Thank you for this one, Steph. I have too many friends who became widowers in the last few years. This is just lovely.

Wow, just wow…. Hits deep….

That hits pretty close to home.

Pig knows the truth.

Brilliant.Personal and Brilliant

It’s been 13 years.

I just received an email from a student of mine who lost a family member. In my response, I sent them this strip.

Do not stand at my grave and weep

I am not there; I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow,

I am the diamond glints on snow,

I am the sun on ripened grain,

I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you awaken in the morning’s hush

I am the swift uplifting rush

Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft starshine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there; I did not die.

This hit hard. It’s been 3 years since I lost my husband of 43 years only 3 days after our anniversary. Then my 92 year old mother passed away in January. Still having a hard time with it all. You never forget, just keep going on, and living in the memories.

awwwwww this one was really sweet

wow… this is… touching

Perfect for me today…I lost a really special cat 2 years ago today…due to a callous vet screw up. I look at his pix most nights and keep my memories of him alive.

Is there a Nobel Prize for comics? Or just give Pig the Nobel Peace Prize.

wow…

Thank you for a timely strip Stephan. I lost my wife 2 1/2 months ago. The house feels emptier and I feel old from it. Pig makes a very good point.

Pig is a good person.

This is my favorite aunt’s birthday. She would be 93 today. Thanks.

In memory of my beloved Mom, & Brother, who have gone on before me. Thank you Stephan, one of the very Best messages of all time! Thank you.

In memory of my beloved Mom, & Brother, who have gone on before me, Thank you Stephan!

In memory of my beloved Mom, & Brother,Thank you Stephan!

WOW! So perfect. I have ordered 4 copies of this panel to send to friends who are going through mourning. THANK YOU Stephan. You are completely forgiven for all the bad (and wonderfully funny) puns!

This was definitely not the usual strip we’ve come to expect and enjoy from Mr. Pastis. But somehow he KNEW that I definitively needed this right now. Thank you!

An unusually poignant and beautiful strip for Stephan and Pearls. Thank you.

Thank you, Stephan. My mom died August 17, 2024 … she was 101 years old. Today’s strip is perfect!

Wow give that pig a medal.

Pig is now my favorite comic strip character.

In a world full of Rats, be Pig.

I haven’t been this emotionally touched by a comic strip since Calvin and Hobbes baby squirrel story line

For the first time ever, I bought a copy of this strip and it’s already arrived. Maybe some day I’ll be able to look at without crying. Thank you, thank you, Stephan.

This came out just after my wife’s mother passed away. She wrote to Mr. Pastis to express how much these sentiments comforted her after losing not just a Mom, but her best friend.