The animals in your life are more than just animals. They are family members, friends, sources of support, confidantes, and suppliers of unconditional love.
When they are no longer with you, either from death or other circumstances, you grieve just as you would any other significant loss in your life. This is a natural process as you adjust to the changes in your life, creating new routines and patterns to your days.
Grief is one of the most normal and natural occurances that you can experience after a loss; yet it is one of the most misunderstood. When you grieve, you can experience a myriad of emotions that can affect each area of your life: physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual. One moment you may be angry, the next you may cry, and then you may decide to get busy with a task and instead crawl into bed and go to sleep.
This roller coaster effect, which leaves some people wondering if they are normal, is part of the natural process of grieving, with nothing crazy about it. It is a very healthy psychological and physical response that requires expression and acknowledgement. Attempts to suppress feelings of grief can sometimes actually prolong the healing process.
