The World I Live In
I have refused to live locked
in the orderly house of
reasons and proofs.
The world I live in and believe in
is wider than that. And anyway,
what’s wrong with Maybe?
You wouldn’t believe what once or
twice I have seen. I’ll just
tell you this:
only if there are angels in your head will you
ever, possibly, see one.”
— Mary Oliver
You’ve been grieving your best friend for awhile now—it feels like forever.
But a light has started shining in the dense fog of your grief. It might feel like a hint of hope, or curiosity, or a sense there’s something more to all of this.
Once you’ve crossed the threshold of loss, it’s only a matter of time before you start asking the questions we all grapple with: Where is my beloved now? Do they continue to exist on some level? And if so, how will I know? How can I connect with them?
It’s no different with your animal companion. You want to know they’re still around, still with you, even though you can’t see or touch them. In your quest for answers, you might ask for signs—something specific to them and your relationship that you’ll recognize, beyond any doubt. It’s not enough to hear someone else’s miraculous story. You want to have your own direct experience. You want proof.
This desire for connection with your non-physical pet takes you beyond what you think you know and turns your attention to the unseen. It asks you to stay curious.
No matter your religious or spiritual (or lack thereof) background, no matter your doubts, no matter whether this is your first or umpteenth experience with grief—the possibility of direct experience is available to you. What matters is that you are open to it, even if it’s only an inch of willingness.
A Touch of Moxy has gathered relevant spiritual resources to encourage and help facilitate your process. And the resources are worth exploring—the peace in your heart from direct experience can be a powerful step to move with grief. Why not try?
May you directly experience the presence of your precious pet in and around you, allowing your relationship to continue in its new form and learning to trust in this unseen reality.
May you come to know the Oneness we all share.
“The moment an animal dies, you realize what you loved was not the physical form, although the form may be beautiful and part of the loving experience. Something inhabits the physical form that is the essence, the organizing principle, the intelligence–whatever you want to call it. Ultimately, life is consciousness. The [animal] is the expression of the one consciousness, and that essence does not die.”
— Eckhart Tolle
What signs has your pet shared with you? What miracles have you experienced?
