Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet
Gary Kowalski
Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet
2012. New World Library, Novato, CA
In Goodbye, Friend Reverend Kowalski suggests ways to celebrate a dear companion's life, underscoring there is nothing "petty" about grieving the loss of a cherished pet. Hastings, a beloved horse, was euthanized while invited friends created a circle of support. Hope the lamb was named as her birth followed the difficult delivery of a stillborn. For some, the death of an animal friend is the greatest loss they've ever encountered. A ceremonial goodbye can be helpful and may include honoring the life lived, releasing to the oneness of life and remembering with love. Children cope best when their questions are honestly answered and are told the pet's body goes back to the earth. Regardless of age, allow time to grieve. "It usually takes months or more than a year for life to regain some kind of equilibrium."
