Years ago, someone sent me this beautiful, provocative image. It hangs above my desk reminding me of the sacred balance of our roles both as grievers and supporters of grievers. The person in the boat symbolizes to me a griever, needing to bravely go through their journey of grief on their own, yet always supported by Divine Light, and the loving energy of fellow humans, each offering support in their own ways, symbolized in the image by the varying position of their hands.

It is my hope that the following pages will assist anyone who may want to build, refresh or reaffirm their abilities to support others through the pain and healing of grief. By continually refreshing our skills, we can help bridge the gap between our compassionate desire to help and the ability to do it effectively. Working together in the circle of people who deeply love animals, we can honor our animals who have died, while also honoring each other with effective, appropriate, and loving support.

Bless you for reaching out to help people who have lost their animal loved ones,

Namaste'

Teresa Wagner

Image copyright Nancy Bright, used with permission and gratitude. Please visit her site to see her astounding art available in prints and cards.