For many people a pet is not "just a dog" or "just a cat." Pets are beloved members of the family, and when they die, you feel a significant, even traumatic loss.
Grief can be complicated by the role that your pet played in your life. If you lived alone and the pet was your only companion, coming to terms with the loss can be even harder.
Kevin Klish has recently suffered the above. If you may recall, Kevin was the "Den Dad" at the Humane Society of Blytheville for around nine years and did a wonderful job. He suffered the loss of his longtime love, "Sadie," an English Bull, while he was employed there. And while that was a terrible hurt losing her, he had "Dixie" his Dane and all the responsibility and love of the multitude at the shelter he was in charge of. "Dixie" was his best friend and roommate throughout the humiliating Humane Society debacle. Surprising how "just a dog" can ease the hurt and the pain that humans toss your way. This week, "Dixie" left Kevin to join "Sadie" as she had to cross the famous Rainbow Bridge.
There is no right or wrong way to grieve. Grieving is a personal and highly individual experience. Some people find grief comes in stages, where they experience different feelings such as denial, anger, depression and eventually acceptance and resolution. There are highs and lows. The lows are likely to be deeper and longer at the beginning and then gradually become shorter and less intense as time goes by. Still, even as the time goes by, grief can be triggered by something that hits the memory bank and sometimes the grief is returned -- or even a beautiful thought of the beloved animal makes the grief more bearable.
As Jazz would say: "The door to the human heart can be opened only from the inside."
Thought for the week: "We may give without loving, but we cannot love without giving."
Keep that thought in mind and remember Mississippi County Animal Rescue is waiting to rescue animals in the way they should be! Box 2374, Blytheville.