Every once in a while, we rediscover exactly why we made a certain decision or started on a particular journey. It happens almost out of nowhere…and often catches us by surprise.
I was fortunate enough to have one of those moments recently. And it was so close to home that, as the old saying goes, “if I were any closer, I would have tripped over it!”
There it was, within the cadence of texting with one of my favorite family members (nephew, of course!), after sharing some news about a completely different topic, where the responses had turned into “Thanks!” and “Great!” The next text was …that their family dog had passed away over the weekend.
Just like that. It was sudden, no illness, no real signs of distress. He simply went to sleep.
Our texting turned into conversations, which then expanded to his brother (another one of my favorite family members), and so on. As the conversations deepened, it dawned on me that I have become quite an expert in talking with people who have lost pets…and then rediscovered that these moments capture the exact reason I was unstoppably inspired to create the Black Paw Memorial Pin and its community.
Since embarking on this journey with Black Paw I have had the unique opportunity to connect with quite few people, many of which I had not known prior, as it was our shared experience that brought us together. I have learned something different from each person I have spoken with. With each conversation, I gain more
insight and more empathy – which I can then share with others in need of understanding, comfort, compassion, kindness and community in their time of sorrow.
But reliving the beginning stages of loss and grief, through the eyes and hearts of my younger, adored family members, gave me fresh perspective. As the creation of Black Paw Memorial Pin was inspired by the profound grief my Mother (their Grandmother) experienced when she lost her beloved Ted (that is a Maltipoo Ted, not a person Ted).
The perspective was profound – yet simple and real. It was about stability, the kind that defines “home.” To hear from my nephews who are in their mid-to late 20’s how coming home to that pet, over the course of a decade or more, created a sense of stability in this rapidly changing, ever shifting world we live in was truly profound yet made all the sense in the world.
So much happens in life by the time people hit their particular, wonderful age and stage. And over the course of getting there (a decade or so beginning in the late teens…) between graduating high school, going off to college, then getting jobs in different cities, the family pet remained “the same.”
And while it is almost easy to overlook the pace of life’s path particularly during those years, what cannot be emphasized enough is that the family pet was always there, always happy to see you, and always wearing the same outfit (a little pet humor).
It really struck me to hear how much their Finn (dog), pronounced with an intonation of “he’s a bit opinionated,” in the kindest possible way, was a fundamental part of all those memories and special moments, big and small. And that his passing served as a true inflection point, at a time of life when you can still reach (if you stretch really far) the outer fridges of the freedom of youth and being a student, while, in reality, you are stepping through the wide-open gates of adulthood.
Losing a loved one is never easy and there is never a right time.
And while the impact of this recent loss is still unfolding, it’s a reminder that of just important our pets are, how much love there is between us, and that most of the time they are the calm, loving, warm, open, happy, and consistent “loves” of our lives and witnesses to it.
To learn more about Black Paw Memorial Pin and our community, visit www.blackpawmemorialpin.com