| The loss of a beloved pet can be as devastating as | | | | will only become twice or thrice as painful than the first. |
| losing a family member. Afterall, pets can be more | | | | Acknowledging the pain, however, helps develop an |
| lovingly unconditional than people. If only the amount of | | | | eventual acceptance over the loss of your pet, and in |
| love showered on our pets can be equal to the | | | | the long run, even peace knowing that your beloved |
| amount of years added to its life, our pets would live | | | | pet may be in a place far happier than the one you |
| as long as we want them too. But as everything else | | | | can ever offer it. By acknowledging your pain, you are |
| that has a beginning, so too, do they have an ending. | | | | allowing yourself to grieve over lost times with your |
| Indeed the paradox of loss is at constant play with life: | | | | pet. In grieving there is remembrance. What better |
| we are certain that everything ends but we are | | | | way to give tribute to your beloved pet and what |
| uncertain when it ends; we are certain how it will make | | | | better way to keep your pet alive in your heart |
| us feel, but uncertain at how to deal with what we | | | | forever than remembering all the times spent |
| may feel. | | | | together? Eventually, you will find that healthy |
| So how does a man say good-bye to a beloved pet, | | | | remembrance and acceptance of the pain is not only |
| companion and best friend who has given him its full | | | | therapeutic but offers a way that will lead you to |
| attention, unconditional love and loyalty and even aid in | | | | acceptance over the loss itself as well. |
| daily living (i.e. blind people with their guide dogs and | | | | The next step of dealing with grief over the loss of a |
| policemen with their canine friends, among others)? | | | | pet is through creative expression. A healthy way of |
| And once good-byes have been said, how does man | | | | dealing with the death of a pet, or any other loss for |
| cope with the grief and loss after? | | | | that matter, is to discover your own potential for |
| Needless to say, conditioning of the human mind even | | | | self-release and catharsis. Try to experiment, through |
| before a bond has been created between man and | | | | hobbies, sports and interest, on activities that will keep |
| beast is essential and must be established. Man, the | | | | your mind focused on being productive and creative. In |
| rational one in the friendship, and usually the bereaved | | | | all activities, always be conscious that you are |
| survivor of the two friends, must keep in mind always | | | | channeling your grief and loss positively through the |
| that nothing survives forever, not even the ideal | | | | activities you are engaged in. Eventually, you will only |
| friendship of a man and an animal. Once the proper | | | | realize that your pain has lessened and diminished. |
| conditioning of the mind has been set, it is easier for | | | | The perils of not consciously keeping to mind the |
| man to face the reality of a future separation with his | | | | motivation for the activity (which is the pain of loss) |
| beloved pet. | | | | may only be equivalent to not accepting and |
| However, mental conditioning can only do so much | | | | acknowledging your pain and once you find yourself |
| when no emotional bonds have been created yet: | | | | unguardedly remembering your dead friend, your pet, |
| once man begins to establish an emotional bond with | | | | the pain may only become twice as hurtful. |
| his pet, no amount of conditioning can ever fully | | | | However, if you keep in mind the purpose for your |
| guarantee an easy way in dealing with a possible | | | | constructive activity, you are actually, creatively and |
| separation or loss. | | | | productively living with your pain and loss. For artists, it |
| Man deals with loss in his own unique way. There is no | | | | would even help you include, as your creations' theme, |
| definite formula for dealing with the grief over the loss | | | | your departed pet. Talk about your pet. Share photos |
| of a pet. Otherwise, if there is, indeed, a formula, it | | | | of your pet. Remember your pet. Walk to where you |
| would come out something as absurd as asking a | | | | often have your walks. The possibilities of calling to |
| doctor to compose a music for his dead pet, or asking | | | | mind the joy that your pet has given you is endless. |
| a painter to write a book dedicated to his pet. In a | | | | Indeed, there is no easy way to forgetting the pain of |
| word, what works for some may not necessarily | | | | losing a beloved pet. But perhaps, the paradox there is |
| work for others. What is constant with any variable, | | | | not to forget the pain, but instead, to live with the pain. |
| however, is the importance of facing the pain. Running | | | | Once this pain is channeled creatively and productively, |
| away from the reality and pain of loss never helps. | | | | you will find out that your beloved and precious pet |
| Though running away may momentarily desensitize | | | | has done more for you than you ever thought of in its |
| the first few pangs of pain, the next few ones that will | | | | life and even in its death. |
| eventually turn up at times when it is least expected | | | | |