Dear Jack,
I am in so much pain. I just lost my aunt and my best canine friend passed recently too. My dog was my person, my life. I started therapy a few weeks ago. Now I need to start my life alone and it's terrifying. If I do anything fun, I feel guilty and think I am disrespecting her. I'm not working right now. I have to ask you this because I do believe I'm going crazy. I've never been married and no children; my fur babies were my children. I haven't been sleeping and with this double loss my aunt was a second Mom to me. I don't really believe she is gone. I cannot accept it.
I’m sorry for your losses. When you experience more than one at a time, grief can be especially complicated. I know it seems beyond repair, your heart. The guilt is always huge because guilt is the human condition.
I promise you this. Time will help you heal if you have the right support. Our group is great and if you have the right counselor, that is wonderful too. I would consider getting a new friend even if it is a goldfish. You need someone, something there to inspire you to talk to them about how you feel, for your grief must be released one way or the other.
We pets do our best to teach you what's important. Living in the moment. Valuing time together. Knowing that the Life to Come is far more important than the life you are living now. Life never ends and love never dies. When you keep your heart in the right place, everything else comes along. Keep moving forward. Acceptance will come and when it does, you will find yourself stronger than ever.
Love, Jack
Credits: Jack McAfghan: Letters From Rainbow Bridge
