Question from a reader:
“… I have never said good-bye to any of my pets. Just ” till we meet again ” They all have a memorial in some way or another. And a flameless candle goes off every night. For my love for them still burns brightly. I feel all this “Rainbow Bridge” talk contradicts making us feel better over our loss if we have to say good-bye. I can’t let go. Even though they do not remain in their physical form. Is the act of saying good-bye really necessary?”
C.M.
Answer:
When you lose an animal companion, it’s like finding yourself in the dark. The light has gone out of your life.
Saying goodbye can be difficult for most people, for it implies separation and never being together or having contact again.
However, saying goodbye and seeing your animal friend guided into the light is an act of compassion for your animal friend – and a healing act for yourself. Saying goodbye in this way really means “goodbye for now”.
The phrase “till we meet again” can be good, especially if you combine it with envisioning your pet being cared for and safe in the afterlife. “Till we meet again” when combined with seeing the pet escorted into the light and seeing them safe, can be very healing and comforting, and compassionate as well, for it acknowledges the continued journey the pet is on.
“Till we meet again” is a kind of gentle goodbye that acknowledges that death is not the end, and that we have faith that in time we will be together somehow, even though we don’t know the how.
The key to whichever phrase you use is that it is an act of compassion and respect for another’s soul journey.
By saying “till we meet again” you gently let your animal friend go while at the same time keep the bond and flame alive.
The suggestion is hereby passed on to others who are grieving their beloved pet. Let us know in the comments section how you experience “Till we meet again” and “Goodbye” when dealing with the death of your beloved animal friend.
