Bonds with Animals in Spirit
When an animal companion passes, the relationship does not end. What often ends is the form we were used to. In the early days of loss, many of us look for signs. We want reassurance that they are okay, that they are still around, that the connection remains. This is a very human response, especially when the bond was deep. Over the past few years, I have lost several animals. Each loss was different, but the grief that followed carried familiar patterns. There was sadness, missing their physical presence, and moments of disbelief that they were no longer here in the way I had known them. Even now, the grief has not disappeared. It still shows up, sometimes quietly and sometimes unexpectedly. What has changed over time is not the grief itself, but my relationship with it, and with them. In the beginning, I looked for communication to comfort me. I wanted messages, signs, or experiences that would tell me they were still close. Sometimes there were moments of connection, but often there...