"I wanted a perfect ending. Now I've learned the hard way, that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories don't have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what's going to happen next."
Gilda Radner

Rest in Peace, Jay

“Grief is so painfully real, regardless of its origin. The love of, and attachment to, an animal friend can equal that of human relationships. Likewise, the loss of an animal can be just as devastating.”
(Rev. Joel L. Morgan)

Those who claim not to be ‘animal people’ simply don’t understand the joys of having an animal friend, nor the pain of losing one.

As many of you know, Creative Creatures was created after I had trouble finding animal supplies to scrapbook two very special friends that I have loved and lost - Joey, my cat and Logan, my first horse. Even five and 15 years later, it's difficult thing to talk about and I still get emotional thinking about these two and the positive impact they had on my life and me as a person.

I lost Logan very suddenly, and one of the most searing and painful things was the panic I felt when I realised that over time I could – and probably would - lose many or all of my precious memories. When I was capable of it, I took a pen and wrote for two hours, listing all the things I could think of: his funny habits, the things we’d done together, the lessons we’d learnt, people we’d met, the funny & sad times. Those 25 odd scraps of hot pink note paper are still very important to me and over the last 15 years as I’ve re-read them, I’ve had a chuckle and shed many a tear. But now, they also represent a bank of ideas for layouts that will help me record the times I shared with one of the most special creatures I’ll ever have the privilege of knowing.

Now, I’m not a counsellor, but I did study psychology in a previous life, and know that there are several different models of grief. These models describe grief in anywhere from 4 to 12 stages, and recognise that everyone differs in their reactions and the time it takes to ‘work through’ or experience the various stages of grief. No-one should be pushed, but there are a range of things you can do, when you are ready to actively deal with the pain of losing a beloved animal. Perhaps not surprisingly, one very popular activity is scrapbooking.

Scrapbooking is becoming recognised as an effective form of art therapy, with real therapeutic benefits. It’s a gentle, relaxing and therapeutic outlet for your feelings, and harnesses your own creative energy to help address grief and encourage healing. You can pour all of your love and creativity into your layouts, and record the positive and happy memories of a special friend’s life. Scrapbooks are also a thoughtful gift for a friend or loved one experiencing grief or loss.

Here are some ideas you may like to consider if you choose to create a memorial album. Create a balance between poignant pages and happy pages to remember everything about your pet. Don’t be afraid to use happy and bright colours and embellishments to express and celebrate your pet’s personality. Use quotes to express your emotions, or to evoke a certain feeling about a page. And, include a range of ‘real life’ embellishments in your memorial or tribute layout, such as:

 Your pets collar or name tag
 A small toy or a photograph of a toy
 A swatch of fabric from your pets bed, blanket or rug
 A lock of hair from your pet (eg. a horses mane)
 A label, or part of a label, from your pets favourite food tin or bag
 The receipt from the pet store, breeder, RSPCA or other ‘meeting’ place

Memorial layouts also look wonderful in a standalone or hanging frame that you can place in your favourite location to view regularly.

If this topic is a bit close for comfort, I’m sorry for your loss. Be gentle with yourself and allow yourself time to heal. Sit down & record all you can about your pet... you won’t regret it. Surround yourself with people – and pets – who understand you and your feelings. I’ll never forget the understanding and gentle kiss of my (normally cantankerous) goat Spike, after I lost my 20yr old ‘soul mate’ cat, Joey.

As an end note, I’m very pleased to have met several Pet Loss counsellors in the last couple of years and it appears that, as the significance of pet loss is realised, that this industry will continue to grow. There are many services now available including helping people prepare for their pets passing, arranging burial or cremation, and assisting individuals to handle the associated loss and grief.
For more information on pet loss and grief, visit one of the sites below, or put ‘pet loss’ into your favourite search engine:

http://www.soulcompanions.com
http://www.elizabethhelmond.com.au/index.html
http://www.petsandpeople.com.au/Index.aspx
http://www.petmemories.com.au/default.asp
http://www.sympathygifts.com.au/l21/pet-loss/
http://www.allroadsleadtoheaven.com.au/

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