One of the Secrets to Healing Pet Loss

Holidays can be challenging at best when one grieves. Sometimes you lose someone in your life and many years later you look back and, well, they are someone you used to love. Once in a while, however, you lose someone very special; someone you have had an extraordinary relationship with. Someone like no other. These are your soulmates and it doesn't matter how many legs they have! Soulmates live in the hearts of each other forever. They always did; they always will. Their love surpasses all time, distance, and circumstance.

 It's normal to grieve. It's normal to cry. You cannot heal without the tears. There is a battle between the head and the heart. The head tells us that they are gone, that they are "dead". The heart in its eternal wisdom knows that WE ARE STILL CONNECTED to them. The heart knows that we knew each other before this life and that we will know each other again when this life is over. The heart always knows.

The end of this life is not the end of life.

If we are to heal this wound, we must accept their passing from this life and learn how to communicate with them in a whole new way. If we don't learn a new way of being with them, we will grieve them forever...such a tragedy, for they are not even "gone"! They are Only Gone From Sight. We MUST stay in the power of our hearts and out of the chaos of our minds. It takes practice. The common quote, "My mind knows that you are gone but my heart will never accept it" is incorrect. Our hearts know everything and it's our thinking that denies, struggles, and fights the acceptance of the loss. 

Our upcoming book is going to discuss in detail how to connect with your loved ones. One way is by bringing your focus into your heart. You can practice even now, by quieting yourself and placing the weight of your hands on your heart. You will feel the power and comfort there. The heart will reassure you that they are very much alive and well on the other side of the supernatural veil and they are eagerly waiting for you to find them there. 

Your best friends are waiting patiently for you to grow in the faith that they have never left you. Jack will show you how. They are waiting in the "wings," in the pages of our books. Keep the faith. True love never dies.

Get to know Jack and you will find yourself in a whole new state of mind - and heart - as you enter this new year. Do it for you. Do it for your best friend who waits for you to be happy again when you think of them. Any and all of our books will help you to see things from a new point of view and will forever affect the way you view life and death and loss and love.

Prayers to all of you in this New Year. You're not getting older, you're getting better. Because Grief is your Teacher. 

Love, Kate and Jack 🐾

(Book 7 in the Series, "PawPrints from Heaven," is due for release this Summer. It will teach you how to cope with not having your loved ones physically present and help you learn to interact with them in a whole new way.)   

Find all of our books on Amazon Worldwide. Click here to view all of them.

Does it Really Matter What Breed My Dog is?

 Dear Jack, 

Does it really matter what breed my dog is? Isn’t every dog, cat, pet just love? Isn’t that all that really matters? Isn’t that what you tell us? Not to label, that love is all that matters? 

 

Does it really matter what I was?  She always said it didn't. I was advertised as a Collie-Poo and that's what she came to accept. If it was any different than that, she said it didn't matter. She loved me no matter what I was. She loved me.

They said my mother was a Bearded Collie. They said my father was a Standard Poodle. Some people would argue with her. "No," they'd say, "I can tell he has Afghan Hound in him from the curl in his tail... the length of his hair."  

"It doesn't matter," she would reply, "Whatever he is, I love him." 

But it turns out that it did matter. Genetic inheritance cannot be denied in humans or in pets. One day she took me to the vet when I was about five years old. I had a small tumor growing on my eyelid that was bothering me. They scheduled surgery with general anesthesia to remove it.  

"Come back for him at 1 p.m," they said. 

At noon they called. "We've had a delay. Come back for him at 5 p.m." 

Eagerly she went to pick me up at 5. They had to tell her what happened. 

"He must have sighthound in him," they said. "He is definitely an Afghan Hound." 

Sighthounds are a certain group of dogs who have keen eyesight because of the way their eyes and noses are formed. In a puppy, the sense of smell develops first, but in a sighthound pup, the sense of sight comes first. The nose is long and thin and allows for a greater peripheral vision for hunting and targeting. This is one of the things that makes sighthounds unique. They also have lean forms and can run faster and longer than most other breeds.

Sighthounds metabolize medication differently than other breeds. This is in part due to a lower percentage of body fat. Sighthounds also have a unique liver function and cannot process drug substances as quickly as other breeds. It takes them longer to recover and it is part of good veterinary care to manage this. 

I had a very bad reaction to the level of drugs they gave me. What started out as a routine surgery turned into an emergency. They almost lost me! But they didn't. They saved me and they documented in my permanent record that I am Afghan Hound; sighthound.  

For under $100 you can order a Pet DNA testing kit. It may not matter to you what your dog is or how it came to be bred genetically through the years. As more and more people are adopting pets with unknown histories, it is not a bad idea to check it out. The more you know about breed-specific issues, the more empowered you are, the more you will be ready to handle them if and when they arise. 

                                                                                                Love, Jack

                          

How Do I Know When to Put my Pet to Sleep?

  Dear Jack, 

Tomorrow I'm sending my dog to Rainbow Bridge. I'm so hurt, confused, and guilty. Yesterday morning he could hardly walk. His arthritis is bad. Been on painkillers for years. He also has prostate cancer and a tumor on his adrenal gland...They gave him morphine at the vets. What a heartbreaking evening and night. He cried so much. Confused from the morphine. But today he is great. Walking playing eating. He hasn't been this way in days. I know it's because he's not in pain but it'll wear off. Is it worth giving him more morphine and putting him through nights like last night again just to keep him around? I don't know what to do....He's up every hour crying to go out to pee, difficulty pooing... Oh God, I guess I'm looking for someone to say it's time that I'm doing the right thing. This is the hardest thing I've ever done in my life." 

 

Dear One: 

First of all, you can FEEL guilty, but YOU ARE NOT GUILTY. (Guilt is something the human mind created. Heaven does not know of such things). He has struggled for a very long time and weighing his quality of life with his pain and his condition is imperative. Do not hold him to you with your love because the love won't die when he does. You need to look at everything else that is going on. How would you feel if you were him?  

 

It is such a hard decision but the loving thing to do is let him go. Our Grady suffered for several years with chronic pain and was deaf and blind. We made the appointment to put her to sleep on a Monday. Sunday night and Monday morning she was better than she had been in many months. We thought of it as a final gift for all of us. Later when it was over, we wished we had done it sooner for her. She was so at peace. You will see and you will know then that you did the right thing. 

Remember, "It's Not Putting Me Down, It's Lifting Me Up". (Get your FREE copy of our little book here:  https://BookHip.com/DCSAKN ) Wishing you strength between here and there. <3 

 

Love, Jack

…How many of us have watched someone we love suffer for too long? They have spent weeks, months, years, declining and then, right after we make the decision to let them go, they surprise us by having a really good day? It can knock us for a loop.   

 

One night Grady pee-ed all over our bed.  Our bed was also our "den," and any dog knows you don't dirty your den. This is how sick she was, to not be able to honor that. She was 14.  She had been incontinent (and arthritic and going blind and deaf over the years). Kate said to her that night, "I can't keep doing this." Kate was so tired from cleaning up after her and carrying her everywhere. Nonetheless, she did it for another two years.  It was all because she was waiting for God to call for Grady because she didn't want to have to make The Decision. 

 

She ultimately contacted the vet and scheduled euthanization for Monday. Sunday night we all slept on the floor with Grady instead of bringing her up onto our bed like we always did. It was the first time in many nights that she didn't get up every hour. She slept the whole night through! She got up in the morning, went outside with me with a wag in her tail! She gave a playful little awkward jump when I teased her... and she ate all of her breakfast! We couldn't believe it. Our hearts were full. 

 

It would be easy to second-guess whether we were doing the right thing, to move forward with the plans for the day. Maybe if we just slept on the floor with her every night she'd sleep through the night.... maybe this, maybe that, maybe, maybe, maybe...

 

Fortunately, our experience working with people on hospice reassured Kate. We had seen it over and over again in our therapy work. Many times people linger on their deathbeds; their breath is slowing, their feet are turning blue... and then all of a sudden one day, they rally back! Where they were confused they are now lucid. Those who were lethargic are miraculously alert and clear for the first time in a long time. They give us the impression that they are not dying after all! Oh everyone is so excited! They are clearly turning a corner and they will be well again! Our prayers have indeed been answered! 

 

Then, in 12 or 24 or more hours, they pass peacefully. It is not this way for everyone, but this has happened often in Kate's thirty years of experience. It matters not the age or the condition or the setting. I think perhaps it is one final chance for the body to have its Swan Song. When we know we can never do something again that we've always done, we always want to do it one more time. Sometimes that's what the final day is for. It gives us a chance to have one more time around before we transform into something else.   

https://BookHip.com/DCSAKN 

The Blind Will See Again...

 Dear Jack, 

We got our girl at three weeks old. She lived to be 13. She went everywhere with us. She went blind and I was her sole caregiver. She got cancer; we went to the vet every other month. It all caught up with her and she ended up crossing over at the Emergency Vet because she was hurting. While driving to the Emergency, she looked at each of us in the car as if she was no longer blind. It was weird. She took several minutes to stare at us. Could she see? Did she see us?

 

Dear One, 

Your girl was letting you know that she was preparing for her leaving. She was already on the way to being restored to perfection. The closer we get to leaving this cumbersome earthly body the more able we are to show you who we really are. The immortal healthy beautiful shining spirit that is seen through the eyes. As they say, "The Eyes are the Windows of the Soul" and it is no mistake that you saw this clearly in her eyes. She was and is in communication with you all the time. She knows what a beautiful life she has had with you. 

Life is always teaching us through change and loss. When we’ve grown from it, when we have faith and when we learn to convert fear to love, we know we have learned the lesson that loss came to teach us. 

You may find this hard to believe, but our story does not end. Life does not end. The end of this life is not the end of life at all. It is impossible to describe how beautiful this is, this experience of death and dying. If I could hold a pen to write the words, and if there were words in existence that were beautiful enough to describe this place called Heaven, I would strive to find the words so that you would never be afraid of it again.

                                                                                               Love, Jack 🐾

The Spirit that Moves Us to Love Again

It's okay to get another pet if the spirit moves you. 

Don't you know, I am the spirit that moves you?

You can't replace me, but you can bring in a new kind of love. You've had her now for almost three months. You see her healing. You feel yourself healing too. It has taken this long for you to trust each other. She no longer runs from you. She comes to you seeking love. You are healed enough now, to give her everything and more. But I know. I know you still love me. I still see you cry when you don't think you have everything, but you do. You do have everything.

Book 6 : Coming in December

Written in the style of "Only Gone From Your Sight," Book 6 shares material that applies to human beings but includes additional material related to planning and directives, options for end of life care and encouragement and support to help humans with their loss of their human loved ones.   

COMING TO AMAZON AT THE END OF NOVEMBER. 

PREORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!  

Charlie's Story is Unfolding

Once Upon A Time a golden cat was abandoned on the busy highway 

at the edge of a sleepy border town.... 

Note from the Author:  

It's another true story!  Our lives are a little different now since returning from a recent week in New York. While we were away this orange cat took up residence on our porch. He made himself quite at home ...and he has never left. Having already become the local "Resident Cat" here in our neighborhood, life is really quite good for him. Yet he has no home to call his own. He clearly had a loving home at one time, for he is loving, tame, domesticated, clean and smart! Yet he survives within the feral community around us, for the girls come around to see him, neutered and all.  

Will he take up residence with Kate and Joey and Immy?  Will he choose to go with Katsy, who is lonely and wants him desperately to live with her and who gives him all the comforts of home?  Will he adopt himself into the feral community where Tiny, the elderly man next door puts out a Friskies Buffet every day and leaves his door open for 'his' cats to freely come and go? Or perhaps he will choose to stay with Dennis, the loving owner of the park, who waits for Charlie to make his daily rounds and who, with his poodle's approval, allows Charlie to roam freely in and around his house. It was Dennis who arranged for him to be neutered. It was Dennis who started calling him "Ocher" for his color, long after Kate started calling him "Charlie." "Charlie," because not only does he somehow look like her father, Charles, he is the spitting image of Charles's little cat Barney, who fell through the ice at their Canandaigua home many long years ago.  Who IS this golden feline? 

Destiny is at work once more. How it will end? Find out soon, as Jack McAfghan tells the story that is By Design and unfolds in the lives of those in the sleepy little border town in Arizona.  

Subscribe to updates at www.katemcgahan.com! 
We'll keep you posted on progress! 

All Dogs Need A Purpose: The Service Dogs of 9-11

(Excerpt from 

"Jack McAfghan: Reflections on Life with my Master" 

Chapter 15) 

"...A dog can wag its tail but a dog needs more than that. Just like a person needs a purpose, a dog needs a purpose too. We don’t feel good when we are just taking up space. Grady had been a successful therapy dog many years before. We all need to be successful at something for as long as we live.

One of our friends was a veteran rescue dog from the World Trade Center. He had many stories about rescuing people from the wreckage. We learned a lot from him. He told us that when the buildings went down many rescue workers arrived on site, including specially trained dogs from all over the country. He was one of them. The mission of the dogs was to find survivors and victims. All too soon the unfortunate time came when no more could be found. At this point many of the dogs became listless and depressed.* They refused to eat or drink. They failed to thrive. They did not feel the desire to live because they were simply not able to fulfill their purpose. Being able to do something we’re good at prolongs our life and promotes our sense of well-being. 

If we don’t have a job to do, a task to accomplish, or someone to serve on a regular basis we will create our own opportunities. We will chase lizards and rabbits, obsess about squirrels and other mammals, bark at everyone who passes by or rearrange the rugs in the house. We can always find something to do if our humans don’t need us or provide us with work to do..."

In memory. 

May we never forget those we lost and what we learned.

* What we did not choose to share in our book came from a reliable source at Ground Zero. The only way to keep the rescue dogs on task and moving forward when no more casualties could be found was to replant body parts and scents in the rubble so the dogs could continually have a measure of success. Success is everything to a true service dog. Much like humans, when we "retire" we need another job to do or we lose our momentum for living.   

The Power in a Name

This is my rainbow friend Domenico in the picture. Do you know that there is power in a name? Domenico means "of the Lord". You can be sure his Master called him Home where he now waits for his earthly beloveds and lives in the light of Love.

She didn't have any profound reasons for naming me. She called me Jack because she just always liked the name Jack and she always wanted to meet a guy named Jack. Then when she hadn't met one, she told me "Jack's my favorite name and you're my favorite friend so I'm going to name you 'Jack'." In actuality Jack means "man". I loved that. She doesn't know it yet, but someday she will know why I had to leave so soon. Because when you make someone your One and Only it leaves no room for anyone else to come into your life. And she has more to do besides build her life around me.

What did you name your pet and why? As you ponder this, it might give you clues to the Destiny that unfolded in your life with them.
Feel free to comment below your pet's name and your thoughts about this. 

Find the Jack McAfghan Trilogy of Books to heal your grief and strengthen your heart on Amazon Worldwide. http://amzn.to/2sCnH50

My Poem About Squirrels

I think that I shall never see 

This squirrel come down from this tree. 

A squirrel whose tail goes east and west;

She teases me! She is a pest! 

She sits and looks at me all day, 

And waves her furry tail to say 

She'll never let me win this game. 

I must forfeit; she is to blame! 

The tree protects with limbed terrain. 

Her sheltered home, it's her domain. 

Only God can make a tree, 

Or a squirrel... or fools like me. 

~ by Jack McAfghan. 
Based on the poem "Trees" by Joyce Kilmer (1914)

Do You Ever Get Goose Bumps?

Tonight she was out walking the dogs, Immy and Joey. It was a cold high desert night but it felt good to walk, so they walked a little farther than usual.  Just as they turned to head for home, she looked up and saw a bright star in the western sky. 

“I remember that star,” she said aloud. “I used to look at that star from my living room and from our front porch.”  She had a smile when she first said that.  She had built the house and loved the house. She and I had lived most of our years together there. She remembered looking out over to the western horizon as she watched the sunsets come and go, and then the bright star appear every night when the night was clear. Suddenly her “view” was interrupted by the memory of the neighbors at the house across the street.  It blocked her line of vision and took the star away from the sky in her mind. The neighbors had been very mean and they did some things that indirectly caused and ultimately brought us financial ruin.

“It was all so beautiful,” she said as the tears began to sting her eyes.  I sensed I might have to intervene.  “It was all so wonderful,” (Was she sad? Was she mad? Her emotions were intensifying) “...until they came along and ruined everything.”  She was starting to get upset about it again. I had to do something. I did not want her thinking those negative thoughts. There was nothing she could do about those circumstances now. It did her no favors to be dwelling on it.  After all, she had had such joy when she first saw our star.    

She was startled when she felt my goose bumps from the back of her neck down to her lower back, radiating with warmth. Everyone has their own “signature” goose bump. This was mine... and she knew it.  

“Okay Jack,” she said to me, “You’re right. I know it doesn’t matter now.” 
She had learned when to identify me and she had received the message I had intended for her! “Thank you Jack.  Thank you.”  
She was so pleased that she had not missed a beat and she knew that it was me. 

I radiated out my warmth and love and covered her again, so proud that she could learn to set her pain aside and live in the moment with me, just like I taught her to do.  She thanked me again. She could tell from my warmth and intensity that I was happy and that made her happy too. That’s how soul mates are. Connected on such a deep level that everything they think and feel affects the other.  

Do you ever get goose bumps? Who do you think it is? When do they come to you? What are they telling you?  Pay attention. Goose bumps are not just a random occurrence. They are how we reach out to you in vibration. It’s how we touch you when we no longer can be in your view. 

                                                                                                            

  Love,  Jack

Scheduled for Release This Weekend! Stay Tuned!

This is the third book in the Jack McAfghan Series. As you join Jack on his journey to Rainbow Bridge and back again, he will give you a glimpse of the world to come while sharing his deep wisdom of unconditional love and the power of healing. Our story is your story too. It is the story of life, love and renewal. What you get out of his story is limited only by your beliefs. Sometimes what seems to be the ending of something is just the beginning of everything.

'My Master calls me in from the fields of green and gold. His voice is commanding. I run to Him obediently. He gives me a choice: To remain Here and continue living life as an angel in Heaven, or to return to Earth. I hesitate. I tell Him I don’t want to leave this place, especially the field at the edge of Rainbow Bridge where I keep watch for her. I don’t want to be somewhere else the day she crosses Rainbow Bridge. He makes me a promise. I know He keeps His promises, so I begin my adventure back across the Rainbow Bridge; back into the world I shared with her.'

We highly recommend you read Jack's first book "Jack McAfghan: Reflections on Life with my Master" before embarking on this one, for Jack will help you to heal your grief so that you can move forward into the magic that is waiting to be discovered Beyond Rainbow Bridge.

Click Here for a preview! 

If Doubting Thomas Can Become a Believer, You Can Too.

One of our readers begs to differ on the subject of animals going to Heaven. He mentions St. Thomas in his argument.  With all due respect to his thoughts and beliefs, I don't particularly appreciate how this contradicts the entire love story of my life and my passing. I wish to clarify our St. Thomas, who was known for being a Doubter, much like my reader.

I also like to clarify that while I am not "religious" (religion does not exist in heaven, only spirit exists fueled by the power of love), we must always take into consideration the great writings and beliefs of the people who are of great faith -- no matter what creed.

"St. Thomas was born a Jew and was called to be one of the twelve Apostles. His birth and death dates are unknown, but his feast day is celebrated July 3. He lived before the formal establishment of the Catholic Church but is recognized as the patron saint of architects.

He was a dedicated but impetuous follower of Christ. When Jesus said He was returning to Judea to visit His sick friend Lazarus, Thomas immediately exhorted the other Apostles to accompany Him on the trip which involved certain danger and possible death because of the mounting hostility of the authorities.

"At the Last Supper, when Christ told His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them to which they also might come because they knew both the place and the way, Thomas pleaded that they did not understand and received the beautiful assurance that Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

St. Thomas is best known for his role in verifying the Resurrection of his Master. Thomas' unwillingness to believe that the other Apostles had seen their risen Lord on the first Easter Sunday earned him the title of "doubting Thomas."

Eight days later, on Christ's second apparition, Thomas was gently rebuked for his skepticism and furnished with the evidence he had demanded - seeing in Christ's hands the point of the nails. Thomas even put his fingers in the nail holes and his hand into Christ's side. After verifying the wounds were true, St. Thomas became convinced of the reality of the Resurrection and exclaimed, "My Lord and My God," thus making a public Profession of Faith in the Divinity of Jesus.

The Incredulity of Thomas" by Caravaggio, public domain, Wikipedia

St. Thomas is also mentioned as being present at another Resurrection appearance of Jesus - at Lake Tiberias, when a miraculous catch of fish occurred.

This is all that we know about St. Thomas from the New Testament. Tradition says that at the dispersal of the Apostles after Pentecost this saint was sent to evangelize to the Parthians, Medes, and Persians. He ultimately reached India, carrying the Faith to the Malabar coast, which still boasts a large native population calling themselves 'Christians of St. Thomas.'"

SOURCE: www.Catholic.org

Dear Jack: I Was Told That Pets Don't Go To Heaven. Could This Be True?

Dear Jack, 

I'm so sorry to bother you during your holiday but I'm heart broken. I've just been told pets don't go to heaven because they are all liars and deceivers. Your book still hasn't arrived yet and I'm desperate for evidence that this isn't true. 

I Feel Like A Pest 

Dear You Are Not A Pest, 

You are the second person this morning to ask this question. There are many people who claim to be "religious" but who do not even seem to believe in Heaven. I once posted a post on a God-Oriented Facebook page and the Admin called me a liar and a sinner. I was awestruck. Taken aback. Me with my pure heart that comes from a deep love and reverence for God, my true Master.  They even told me that Heaven does not exist! In their bible it is called "paradise." For them, heaven means something else altogether.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and there are reasons that those with strong opinions have them. Their lives taught them what they now believe. Maybe their parents raised them with certain beliefs that are now ingrained in them. Blessed are they who know their own minds, live from the love in their hearts and do not condemn anyone for their personal beliefs. Indeed, it is tragic when someone who is trying valiantly to heal the grief over the loss of a pet, is told "Pets don't go to Heaven." If someone believes this, fine, but they should not hurt someone else by impressing their opinion onto the one who suffers, thereby making them suffer even more. You have experienced this firsthand. Sometimes "religion" causes a great deal of separation between people who would love and honor and respect each other if only they were not labeled and judged and condemned for their innocent beliefs in the name of religion. 

I don't know what "bible" they are reading, but if they would read most versions they would know that Ecclesiastes talks about all animals and creatures going to heaven/afterlife, yes perhaps called paradise.  Even St. Francis of Assisi (a SAINT who is most well respected and honored) spent his whole life caring for the animals and helping them across the bridge when it was time to go.

You will read about all of this in my book. In the meantime, you must be vigilant about your response to someone who is expressing their opinions to you. Do not take their opinions to heart.  Make yourself so strong that you have your own healthy opinion and faith and let no one shake you from it. My book will help you with this too. If you have a bible handy, read some Ecclesiastes while you are waiting for me to come into you postal box.

“Heaven: God. A state of being eternally in the presence of God after death. A place, state, or experience of supreme bliss.”

I am Heart Broken! They Say Pets Don't Go To Heaven

Dear Jack, 

I'm so sorry to bother you but I'm heart broken. I've just been told pets don't go to heaven because they are all liars and deceivers. Your book still hasn't arrived yet and I'm desperate for evidence that this isn't true. 

I Feel Like A Pest 

Dear You Are Not A Pest, 

You are not the first person this morning to ask this question. I have been run over by people who claim to be "religious" and God-fearing, but who do not believe in Heaven. I once shared the post below on a spiritual/"God Oriented" Facebook page and the Admin called me a liar and a sinner. I was awestruck. Taken aback. Me with my pure heart that comes from a deep love and reverence for God? How could they think that about me? They told me that Heaven does not exist. In their bible it is called "paradise".  For them, heaven apparently means something else altogether.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and there are reasons that those with strong opinions have them. Sometimes they have nothing in their lives but the values they live by and cling to. Don't argue with them. It took a long time for those beliefs to take shape and it can take a lifetime to undo them. 

Their lives taught them what to believe in. Such strong beliefs are woven and ingrained into their constitution. Blessed are those who know their own open minds, live from the love in their hearts and do not condemn anyone for their beliefs. It is tragic when someone who tries valiantly to heal the grief over the loss of a pet, is told "Dogs don't go to Heaven!" If someone believes this, fine, but they should not hurt someone else by impressing their opinion onto the one who suffers, thereby making them suffer even more.  Sometimes "religion" causes a great deal of separation between people who would love and honor and respect each other if only they were not labeled and judged and condemned for their innocent beliefs in the name of religion. 

I don't know what "bible" they are reading, but if they would read most versions they would know that Ecclesiastes talks about all animals and creatures going to heaven, afterlife and yes.... paradise.  

St. (that means SAINT) Francis of Assisi (who is most well respected) spent his whole life caring for the animals and helping them across the bridge when it was time to go.  

You will read about all of this in my book. In the meantime, you must be vigilant about your response to someone who is putting their mistaken opinions onto you. Do not take their opinions to heart. Make yourself so strong that you have your own healthy opinion and faith and let no one shake you from it! My book will help you with this too. 

If you have a bible handy, read some Ecclesiastes while you are waiting for me to come into you postal box. 

Thank you for writing today. 

Love, 

Jack

A Message from Kate: The One Year Mark

My Dad passed within hours of Jack -- we will never know exactly when. I called him at 9 a.m. and at 11 a.m. and then I called the apartment manager to check on him. The police came to my door to let me know at 3 p.m. It was 12 hours between Jack's passing and the realization that my Dad was gone too.

You cannot separate grief. Grief is grief however you look at it. It does get complicated, however, when you think maybe you should have had a Facebook group named for your Dad instead of for your dog! But anyone who knows me says "Jack is the one who was always there for you, Kate. He was the one who loved you unconditionally - in a way that your human family cannot." Ultimately Jack was there for Dad too, on that first day away from this earth. Maybe my Dad finally learned the value of a dog. No doubt he needed Jack to help him find his way across the chasm -- perhaps even holding the curl of Jack's golden tail, as I had done so often in the dark, as they walked over the bridge together.

Sometimes it doesn't seem like it gets better with time. That's because when we first "lose" someone we love, we are in shock. Then time passes. The shock wears off and THEN we FEEL. OMG! What?! They say Time Heals but at first Time only seems to make us FEEL! It makes us FEEL BAD! But it's really just a crazy phase. It's a process. Once we get through that hurdle, there are some bumps in the road, but we do get better and better as we travel it.

Typical Stages - Not Everyone is the Same

Right about the time we begin to feel better, we bring the damper down upon it. Our joy is smothered by our perceived guilt and our self-blame. We do it to ourselves. Guilt is an illusion, created by man to have a weapon of control and emotional manipulation. It's the human condition. Guilt is an illusion. Guilt leads us to believe that someone else is ultimately responsible for our happiness. That is not true. It is not real. Yet we treat it like it has power over us. 

At Rainbow Bridge, all that matters is love. All that exists is love. Our pets, when they were here beside us on earth, all they knew was love. Love is what they came here to teach us; not guilt and shame. 

When you find the joy again or when something makes you smile, put your hands upon your heart and HOLD IT there! The heart is where the ones we have loved still live and they will help us to be happy again. By keeping ourselves happy, we keep them happy too. 

Keep the focus on the strength and power of the heart. 

Do Like Dr. Doolittle -- You Must Talk to the Animals

Dear Jack, 
My beloved Barney crossed the Rainbow Bridge a few nights ago. My sister says that I should "tell" my other two cats, but this seems a little weird to me. My sister's always been a little "out there" so I thought I would ask you what I should do.
Thank you Jack.
Belinda

Dear Belinda,
ABSOLUTELY you must tell them. You must share everything that is going on. They live with you, they lived with Barney, they loved him too. They know what life is all about and they remember Where They Came From and Where They Are Going.  Humans may forget this, but this is no surprise to them.  Do not withhold information from them that will help them grow too. 

Have you learned from reading my book how alert and aware the four-leggeds are? Sometimes they are more alert than humans are. Sometimes they even care more than humans do. They want to know. They need to know. They sense clearly that something is going on and they will be very confused if you don't tell them what it is. They feel your emotions and your vibrational energy and they can become quite distressed if you do not help them to understand what's going on.  

Once you do tell them, they will need your care, comfort and compassion, so treat them gently and with understanding because they are grieving too. Their lives move much more quickly than yours do in the scheme of things, so you can go into it knowing that they will probably work through their grief rather quickly. Typically they will be resolving their grief by the time you get into the thick of yours. Then they will be there to help you with yours... because they understand.

This was a great question.  Thank you for asking it so I can share with others because some of them probably have the same question too.  

Love,
Jack