Grief happens when we lose something so important to us that it has become a part of us. For sure, everyone understands that losing a friend or a family member results in strong feelings of grief for those who are left behind. But what about when we lose something else? A job? Our ability to do something? A portion of our health or well-being? And yes – what about when we lose a pet?
A blogger by the name of Jamie Anderson recently wrote:
“Grief, I’ve learned, is really just love. It’s all the love you want to give, but cannot…Grief is just love with no place to go” ~ Jamie Anderson
If you are wondering about how and why our connection to pets can be so powerful so that they become a part of us – and what we lose when we grieve – here is an article posted in the last year that explores the relationship between a person and their animal companion from a perspective of behavioral science:
https://theconversation.com/why-losing-a-dog-can-be-harder-than-losing-a-relative-or-friend-68207
While the article explores our relationships with dogs specifically, much the same could be said for our relationships with cats or other pets.
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