Daily Om 032919

My dog died last September – September of 2018. She was a special dog – a Shih Tzu. A Shih Tzu that had been abused in her former location.

A young girl placed a message about her in a Next Door group in September of 2017 that I belong to – I saw that message and my heart went out to that poor unloved dog.

So I contacted the woman – we arranged to meet – Susie liked me instantly as much as I liked her and I agreed to adopt her.

We quickly discovered the abuse issues – at first we couldn’t touch her on her sides [that was because of the poorly healed broken ribs]. We couldn’t touch her face [that was because of the rotten teeth that eventually all got removed].

She was an old dog but a very loved dog. We gave her the best year of her Life. And when she died in my arms in the vet’s office at the beginning of September last year, she died knowing how loved she was.

I still grieve for her. Not a day goes by that I haven’t thought of her. We’ve kept her bed [my one cat loved her and he uses her bed respectfully, like he expects her to come back into his Life one day]. I’ve kept one of her coats and her leash.

I dedicate this Daily Om on grieving to her – Susie – the spectacular Susie. In my mind’s eye I will always see how happy you were when we took walks – your eyes flapping as we walked.

Grief Is Important

BY MADISYN TAYLOR Grieving doesn’t have to be a process that keeps us rooted in our thoughts of fear and sadness. Change is something that happens each and every moment in our lives. Since nothing is constant, it may sometimes seem as if we are losing something whenever things do change. Understanding that this is part of our daily existence and that there will not only be gains but also losses in our lives can help us more readily accept and deal with whatever happens.  Whenever we lose something or somebody we love, it is important for us to take time out for ourselves and truly feel the weight of what we are experiencing. Although it may seem that doing so will push us into a deeper state of sadness, truly giving ourselves permission to be with whatever arises actually creates space for us to begin the healing process. This is because the act of grieving is a natural process, allowing us to sort through the range of emotions that are present in our everyday existence. Even though it may sometimes seem easier to involve ourselves in activities that take our minds off of our sadness, this will only make the route to healing more difficult. Unless we listen to where we are in the moment, the emotions we experience will only grow in intensity, and our feelings will manifest themselves in more powerful and less comfortable ways. Once we consciously acknowledge that these emotions are present, however, we are more able to soothe the sorrow of the moment. In so doing, we become more open to our natural ability to heal ourselves.  Grieving doesn’t have to be a process that keeps us rooted in our thoughts of fear and sadness. For the moment we might feel despondent, but by expressing and coping with our true feelings, we face the sadness head-on. When we allow ourselves to accept and deal with our loss fully, we will then be able to continue our life’s journey with a much more positive and accepting outlook. This will make it easier for us to see that our grief is ephemeral and, just like our moments of happiness, it will also come to pass.

Advertisement