Hi all. I am interrupting my Polyvagal series to share something on my heart. Today marks the one year anniversary of the death of my sweet, loyal, stubborn hound: Mr. Mups.
Mr. Mups was a formerly heartworm positive, skinny, scared hound at the shelter. When my husband and I first interacted with him, he didn't even look at us. He was shut down, clearly having never received affection in his life. We brought him home and watched him blossom. He learned how to trust and how to receive- and give-love. He learned what it is like to be in a loving home. He learned he will always have food and shelter, and will only ever be touched by loving hands. He learned there are so many adventures to have in life! He spent his days running in the dog park, he vacationed with us in the mountains, he snuggled with his cat siblings. He even learned how to be young again when we adopted a younger pup. And in return, we learned so much from him. How to be patient, how to let go and be in the moment, how to forgive.
If you are struggling with the loss of your beloved companion animal, you are not alone. It is so painful and the grief feels like it's going to burst out of us sometimes. Grief is not linear and is unique for each person. Remember: with great grief comes great love. Take it one day at a time. Take care of yourself physically and emotionally. Honor the love you have for your pet: the relationship never dies and your love never dies.
I promise it feels less intense and painful over time. I plan to devote a series of posts on navigating pet loss and grief, so stay tuned. - Dr. T
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