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I am not sure of where to start. I did go online and checked out the grieving for two and four legged loved ones. There they listed the grieving process and most of mine were without warning. So when I read them I at first thought that I did not do much in any of them per say. But as I thought about it that the answer was yes I did do many of them.

When I was eleven I lost my dad. I realized that I was indeed angry about his death and at one point I wished it had been someone else's dad that died until I realized that what I was going through I did not wish for someone else to have to endure. I was being selfish.

Several years later, I went through four deaths in fifteen months. The last two was my mother and half-brother. They died and were buried exactly nine months apart. Again I was angry that this was happening to me and why was it that I had to endure all this pain in such a short time? I realized that the answer was quite simple.. I became stronger and though it hurt, I became a better person. I also realized that I was lucky in that I had loved so strongly and had those loved ones in my life for many years.

Just recently, though I lost two very special members of my family. They were both the four legged variety but I loved them just as much as the two legged members of my family. Arwyn went quickly and I was able to tell her that no matter what that I would always love her and that if she would let go that my love would be unconditional and would never die. She fought so hard to live but I feel that she was doing so for me and my husband. We could not have her in such great pain so we held her and talked to her, letting her know that it was alright to let go. Within an hour she was gone but she remains in my heart and yes I still get teary-eyed at missing her but my love is ever so strong.

The last one was a beloved pet of fourteen years. Tia came into my home shortly after a house fire that had claimed another four legged family member. We brought her home from the dog pound and within moments she gave our family cat a lick and we knew then that we had a very special pet. She has now been gone for two weeks and I miss her terribly. She went everywhere with me and if I went into another room of the house she soon followed. Tia was so full of love that I thought she would burst at the seams or explode from so much love. There was not a human or animal that she did not love and protected. She was my world next to my husband but I asked her to let go because once again I could not stand seeing her in pain. In fact, I had made the decision that when the vet called the next day I was going to tell him that we would be there in minutes but we wanted her to be put down. Sadly, the vet did call the next morning but to let us know that she was gone. I believe that she loved me enough that she took that ugly decision away from me. It is her love that helps me get through each day now.

All I can say to this day is THANK GOD for all the love that I have been given because I am a better person for it. I have grown to be a much stronger person and I believe that I will continue to keep growing each and every day.

I wish that many of you did not have to go through the pain of losing a love one but when you do just remember that you are loved by so many and though the pain of loss is great, you will become a strong, better person. MAY GOD BLESS YOU!

Learn more about this author, Eloise Griswold.
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