"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." -Anatole France
“A dog is the only thing that can mend a crack in your broken heart." -Judy Desmond
I’ve learned that some of our deepest heartbreak comes from the early stages of life. In those moments, we may not have been given permission to feel the sense of loss. Our childhood losses, for many, center around the loss of a pet. We learned in those formative years what loss looks like, and much of that is passed down to us by a parent or loved one. While some of us may have learned the value of feeling our feelings, many of us did not. So now that we are adults, we lack the ability to express how loss affects us. I’m grateful to have been trained to help people understand their feelings, and even as I process loss, I too am learning.
The quotes above help me convey some of what my heart feels today. Back in 2015, after the loss of our beloved yellow lab, Kassie, a friend on Facebook mentioned that she had saved a pup (he was 5 years old) from going to the pound and was looking for his forever home. We, too, were looking for a pup for our other dog, Scooter, so a meet and greet was set up. She and I discussed that if the meeting went well, we would be keeping him, so there wasn’t a lot of back and forth, and our friend agreed. Well, here we are, 10 years later, with a pup who, in human years, is almost 100 years old. He has been a trustworthy friend- loyal, not much of a snuggler, but faithful and steadfast. The decision and timing have been painful. Honestly, I’ve struggled with it. What I can say is this loss feels different for me, and maybe when I’ve had more time to sit in the sadness of it, I’ll be better at articulating my feelings. For now, what I can say is, Oscar, you have been the best boy. I could not have had a better companion. I will miss you so much, and because all dogs go to heaven, I will see you again. Give my folks and Evan a big kiss. I love you, Oscar. Goodbye!
We want to thank Laps of Love for coming to our home and lovingly escorting Oscar home.
