Dear Jack,
I just realized why I haven't wanted to sit out back on our patio. Last year at this time she was out there with us. My girl loved it there. It will soon be a year that she crossed the Rainbow Bridge. It was our first summer in the new house with her big yard. Now I can't even BBQ back there.
I hope you can soon find a way to venture out onto that patio and cherish her and her memory there. It is sacred space and the day you face it will bring incredible healing for the both of you.
Put yourself in her paws. She wonders why you can't be in the space that once made you both so happy. You just need to make up your mind, tell yourself your love for her is stronger than your fear of grief, take a deep breath and GO. You will cry! You will grieve...and by doing so, you will start to truly heal your heart. I promise it will be one of the most important things you can do.
Love, Jack
Credits:
About this letter
This letter is part of Jack McAfghan: Letters From Rainbow Bridge. A reader realizes why they have not wanted to sit out on the patio since their girl passed away: she loved that space and was there with them the year before. It will soon be a year since she crossed the Rainbow Bridge, and the reader cannot even barbecue there now.
What Jack says
Jack calls the patio a sacred space and says that facing it will bring healing to both the reader and their pet. He suggests telling yourself that your love is stronger than your fear of grief, taking a deep breath and going, and he promises that, although there will be tears, it will start to heal the heart.
Returning to the places you shared
It is common to avoid favourite spots, chairs or walking routes after a loss. When you feel ready, try spending a few minutes there with a photo, a cup of tea or a memory. Small visits can slowly turn a place of pain into a place of comfort.
