Dear Jack,
I’m having trouble with so-called “friends”. It’s complicated. They say they don’t want to see posts on my page about my dead pets. How’s that for nasty?
This is another gift our best friends give to us after they pass. To point out who our truest friends are and to lead us to new friends who understand and have compassion. Don’t fall into the petty games. You need your energy to heal and move forward. Cherish the ones who care and understand and pity the rest of them who never knew a love like this.
Love, Jack
Credits:
About this letter
In this letter from Jack McAfghan: Letters From Rainbow Bridge, a reader describes trouble with friends who say they do not want to see posts about the pets who have passed away. Jack's reply speaks to the hurt this causes and offers a way to move through it.
What Jack advises
Jack explains that the situation can point out who your truest friends are and lead you towards new friends who understand and have compassion. He encourages readers not to fall into petty games, because they need their energy to heal and move forward, and to cherish the people who care.
Practical ideas if you feel judged for grieving
Grief for a pet is a real loss, and sharing memories online is one way many people honour their animals. If some friends do not respond kindly, you can limit what they see, share in groups for pet lovers, or talk to others who have been through it. You do not owe anyone an explanation for how you grieve.
