What to Say (& Not Say) to Someone Who Lost a Pet

[orleans]

4. wow--i've been crying all evening over missing my little baby

i recently posted a thread in the bereavement group about her
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1234673

i can't tell you how many people have asked me if i was going to get another dog.
unreal.

i tell them i don't know. i tell them for right now i miss her and am heartbroken. i tell them i'm just so sad. i tell them it's okay for me to feel sad and i just want to be sad about it for awhile.

i'm grieving.

i loved. i was loved. i lost. i miss her. and i feel sad. and that's okay.

it's a habit our "move on" society has. everyone wants the bereaved to have the instant cure/fix. go back to work. keep busy. don't think about it. replace the pet--quick!

we do that regarding people. time off for grieving is short. get back to work--pretend everything is back to normal. don't' make others feel uncomfortable because you're still sad. otherwise it's awkward for people. don't let your grief make others awkward.

yes, my baby was lucky to have me. and i was so lucky to have her as well. we had each other. she was my little friend. my shadow. my sweetie. my baby doll.

i don't know if i'll get another dog. i'm not a fortune teller or psychic. but i do know i loved her. and am so thankful she was a part of my life and i was part of hers. she was one of a kind. and if i do end up with another dog it will not be to replace my baby. she is irreplaceable.

but they all are, aren't they?

thanks for posting this. i think a kind thing to say would be "you were so lucky to have each other." because we were. we always are. both us and them.