It began like this,
Their face looking up at us,
Invoking our instinct to care for them.
And we cared.
We cared more than words can tell,
Our bond so strong.
Not everyone understands the strength of that bond.
Not everyone understands that the words,
They're just an animal,
Are a scratched song in a record,
Because to us,
They are everything.
They come into our life,
Pouring love into us.
Our heart becomes a kite they fly in the winds of unconditional love.
They accept us for who we are with astonishing simplicity.
Our soul lights up in their presence and grows quiet in their absence.
We know and accept their lives will be shorter.
We know and accept the inevitable grief that comes with it.
And then their absence weighs heavily and the quiet they leave behind pulses harder than gravity.
I know you understand this,
Friend.
I know your body has been vacated.
You might be revisiting the last day,
Going through every minute of it over and over again,
Wondering if you did everything right,
Or worse,
Feeling you didn't.
You go through the memories in an attempt to do it again,
Do it better,
Differently.
Let me assure you,
You did your best,
And they felt your love the entire time.
They made your life brighter,
But you made theirs equally bright.
Pick a memory,
A happy one,
A moment of pure joy that you shared together.
Remember how much you laughed or that feeling of warmth in your chest.
Remember where you were,
What you were doing,
What they looked like,
What you felt like.
Feel that memory in your heart.
You made them as happy as they made you.
Pick another moment,
Perhaps a peaceful one in which you felt present with your beautiful companion.
Remember how much you both enjoyed that moment in each other's company,
Just being together,
At peace.
Remember the love you felt,
The love they felt,
The bond you shared,
A life well lived regardless of the length of time you spent together.
The love you shared transcends any concept of time or physical reality.
Take a moment to feel it all.
Feel the pain of the loss and the joy of having shared all this time together.
Feel the gratitude in your soul because you got to know them.
Feel appreciation for your capacity to feel love,
Because you know the secret.
You know that love knows no boundaries,
It knows no shape,
No colour,
No age,
No gender,
No species.
Love just knows love.
Take a deep breath and as you exhale,
Close your eyes if you feel comfortable doing so.
Visualise a beautiful place,
One that feels safe and welcoming.
Step into this scene feeling grounded and present in it.
Look around and observe the surrounding elements,
Observe the different colours and shapes,
The textures,
The quality of the air,
The temperature.
Pick a spot to sit down and take in all the beauty of your surroundings.
On the next inhale,
You turn your head to find your animal companions sitting right next to you.
They are well,
At peace,
Beyond any pain,
Any suffering.
The calm they emanate makes you relax.
Now is the time to tell them whatever you need to say.
How much you miss them,
How much you love them.
Anything you wish they knew,
Anything you need to express,
Let it all out.
As you look into their eyes,
You find a sense of appreciation in them.
They know,
They know of your boundless love,
That's why they picked you.
The whole time you were together,
They knew what was in your heart,
And they loved you for it.
Say goodbye to your beautiful companion,
Knowing you can come back to this peaceful place anytime.
Their body is not here anymore,
But their essence lives in your heart,
Where it will always remain,
As part of you.
Tap your heart a few times to acknowledge this,
Feeling the infinite love you hold for them,
As well as the infinite love they felt for you,
Blending together.
Breathe deeply to anchor this love.
As you exhale,
Open your eyes.
You were a wonderful caretaker,
A wonderful parent,
Able to love beyond your own species.
You are as beautiful as the animal companion that chose to share their journey with you.
Your capacity for love is a treasure.
You got to share it with a very special being,
And you'll get to share it with many more.
Keep enjoying the small pleasures of life like they taught you.
Keep rooting yourself in the present moment.
Keep pouring that endless supply of love on others,
On yourself,
On the world.
This is what matters most in life.
