Sometimes, being with our animal friends or working as an animal-care professional is the most joyful part of our life. And sometimes, it’s heartbreaking.

 

Compassion is the innate love that flows through animal lovers. Compassion makes it possible for us to give animals happy homes, advocate for them, and work with them.

 

But when animals are a big part of our lives, we can experience multiple and frequent losses—we may have to say goodbye to a beloved animal, find a new home for a foster or rescue dog, care for animals who have been abused, or make decisions about euthanasia. When this happens, it’s actually healthy—though painful—to feel grief. It’s how you know your heart is working.

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When the pain of loss and stress mounts, we sometimes inadvertently block the flow of compassion from coming back to us. We become physically,  mentally, and emotionally depleted. That's commonly called compassion fatigue, burnout, secondary trauma, cumulative grief, or longstanding grief. It affects your whole health, your relationships, and your enjoyment of life.

 

​Grief is more than something to get through. Love, loss, and grief travel together.  Grief is an expression of love and carries love's gifts. It’s an invitation to experience life fully and deeply and embrace the abundance of love that keeps expanding your heart.  Understanding and experiencing the loveside of grief can open your eyes, mind, and heart to love's infinite possibilities and continued connection with loved ones. It can strengthen your ability to face all of life's challenges and reveal the courage you never knew you had.  It all comes down to these three words:  Love never dies.

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Let your heart be held in love and behold love's magnificence.

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