My beloved familiar, my dog, died this week after 3 weeks of severe illness. It was clear we needed to say goodbye. So SO hard. She gave me her all for 11 1/2 years. The force of my grief has turned my body to stone. I can't stop crying and I can hardly breathe. I keep watching the internal movie of our time together. I see the joy, and everything I did well, and I see how I failed, too. I see her forgiveness. My depression is up up up. Of course this is a trigger. I have others to care for, and I have to keep breathing somehow. Only great love would bring this great grief to me. I know that is a gift. But right now it is a wound. My friends and family are concerned and supportive. But this is mine, and I am alone. I tell it here because I think it might make sense to some/many of you. And then I might not feel quite so alone, so bereft. So, thanks.