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