Transcendence in Suffering...Sitting quietly in reflection as the rain falls as heavily as my tears 13 years ago today when my sweet Cecilia died, I can’t help but to reflect on the many ways in which that experience has informed my life - both personal and professional. I knew in that moment she died, life as I had known it would be different and all that we shared together would be encapsulated in a single moment in time - perhaps in a single tear drop. Finding a way to manifest my pain into healing took the form of a Ph.D. Dissertation research on the Human-Canine Bond and Grief Response in 2006 and publication of my book, "Beyond the Horizon: A Remembrance Journal for Healing the Loss of a Pet (2018). For me, transcendence in suffering companion animal loss, is about being a reflection of the sacredness they have brought to my life and creating something bigger than the pain of suffering. Bringing that essence of creation into the here and now is the framework for my work as a clinician, author and researcher on the Human-Animal Bond and Pet Loss.
Cecilia and I in 2003 at the Hounds & Harrier 5K where we took 3rd place overall Female team in 19:46.