The Depth of Grief

In continuing with my last post about my beloved Sparkle, I came upon a post on Facebook this morning about grieving animals.  It said:

 "It is the depth of love that determines the depth of grief, NOT whether the loved one was human or animal."

I could not agree more.  While I am certain there will be those who disagree, those of us who truly love animals and hold them dear to us, absolutely understand.  I have said several times about different animals that I have loved that I thought more of them than most people I know.  And nothing could be more true.

Animals are pure.  They may not love in the same sense we humans do, but their love is absolutely pure.  Think of how happy a dog is to see their family after they have been gone....about their pure joy just in seeing their people!  Think about that family friend who has comforted a sick or hurting family member.  There is nothing more pure than that....except for maybe the laughter of a baby.

I have often compared children and animals.  The innocence and the purity in their thoughts and actions.  No malice, almost always trusting.  Regardless .....pure is always that thought that returns to my head.  And who couldn't love that purity?

I understand animals much better than I understand people, although in recent years I have come to the realization that both run on instinct.  I have never held anything an animal did against it because I have always understood that everything an animal does is out of self preservation....and I have come to realize that is the same with humans.  People do what they think they need to to survive also.  So what does all this have to do with grief?

Well, I believe that when we choose to love (and love is a choice)..... whoever or WHATEVER we choose to love....really love, give our heart and soul to....be it a spouse, a child, a friend, an animal, or some inanimate object like money......We give a piece of our heart to that....person, animal, whatever....and when they are gone, they take that little piece of our heart with them.....and replace it with a little piece of them.  So whatever it is that we love, a small part of that becomes a small part of us.  They never completely leave us.  So grief is just part of that love that we have.  And it's good to hang on to that love.  Yes, after a time, it becomes easier to deal with, but if we love, the grief remains, because it is a part of us now.  And eventually, our hearts are made up of all the things we truly love and very little of us.....