Many feel empty and at a loss after we lose a beloved pet. It can be devastating and the void can remain for years and years. I see it every day and have experienced it deeply myself.

The simple fact is that pets have entered our lives. They are our companions, our friends and our family. However, society has not yet caught up with knowing how to manage this and deal with their loss or how to honor and show reverence for their gifts and all they gave us during their life.

When a pet dies, we have to integrate their loss in to our lives. Sometimes after a pet death, we realize we were given much more than we ever realized. We want to say thank you and give back to one who has given us so much. We know this inherently, even if not consciously, as it just plain feels good to say thank you and return the love.

In healing from pet loss, the ‘something missing’ is often a way to express honor, thanks and reverence for this beloved one and the value they had in our lives. This is true with any loss, and especially true with pet loss as we have very little in our society to help us with this.  Not knowing what else to do, we can remain stuck. We don’t know what to do or how to give back since the loved one is no longer here with us in the physical, and we can no longer interact with them the way we used to.

There are, however, still ways we can express thanks and give back.

What we can do is something to honor them, their soul and the value they brought to our lives. Give some time to think about what this would be for you and your beloved pet.

Choose something of meaning that links the two of you and dedicate it to them, in their honor. This could be volunteering, starting a new career, quitting smoking, exercising, eating better, praying more, writing a book or anything else you wish to do which feels right to honor your pet and help you during this time. One of the simplest, but most profound activities, would be to hold a ceremony or memorial service event just to honor your beloved. Why is this?

Honoring is an important element in healing because recognizing value helps us ‘own’ what is important to us. 

Exercise to try: Take a few minutes to think about one you dearly love, a beloved pet, who has passed. ‘When’ the death occurred does not matter.   Choose someone you miss having in your life. Bring this loved one into your awareness. Now, pause for a moment and think about dedicating a time just to honor them…a time to recognize and appreciate their divine qualities and all that they meant to you. A time to, in a meaningful and special way, say thank you…thank you to this one you love so much.

Notice how you feel, notice how it makes you smile and the joy it brings. Notice how happy it makes you feel. Notice how meaningful it feels.

Think about how good that would feel to send a gift to them of honoring the value they held (and still hold) in your life.

Because the gift and the giver are connected, this connection with them increases in your awareness and being. It becomes easier and lighter for you to make this connection with them in your heart.

Expressing honor and appreciation can also help us move away from feeling sad and empty about the relationship. It can connect us back to the love and wonderful qualities of the relationship and can provide an anchor (in time and experience) for reconnecting. This anchor is in our heart and our memory. It is a life experience we can have, hold dear to our hearts and have with us to refer to for always.

Showing gratitude is a great heart opener. And with an open heart, we can be in a place which is beyond time and space. With an open heart, we can connect in eternal time, experience love and healing. Honoring is a special way to share love and gratitude which will forever exist in time.

I’d love to help you honor your pet, heal and restore.

In kindred spirit,

L. Leigh Love

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L. Leigh Love offers Pet Honoring and Animal Communication sessions to honor our pets since 2008. She is proud to be a pioneer in this area. She is the author of the award-winning children’s book, ‘Roly-Poly and the Light’ and a new pet storybook, “Light of My Life, Love on Your Journey’. Author website is LLeighLove.com and Spiritual website BrightStarStudio.net

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