You may remember the newsletter article we did a few weeks ago, Postponing the Inevitable. It was about my brother’s dog, Lakota. Today, as I write this, the “inevitable” has happened and Lakota has passed into the world of Spirit.
John Cali
My brother Paul called me this morning to let me know he and his wife Judy had to put Lakota down. She was at the point of no return to good health, and was suffering. So they did the “inevitable.” Needless to say, they were both feeling a lot sad emotions.
I was almost as close to Lakota as Paul and Judy, having known her since she was a beautiful, bouncing puppy nearly 17 years ago. When I talked to Paul this morning, I felt a rush and depth of emotion I never thought I’d feel when the “inevitable” happened.
I’d written about a nearly identical experience, but with my sister’s dog, in my book, Dogs: Heart-Warming, Soul-Stirring Stories of Our Canine Companions.
I don’t fear death, nor do I believe it’s the end of us, whether “us” is human or animal. We go on forever, as Spirit often says. But we still feel that flood of deep emotions when we lose the physical presence of those we love.
Here’s Spirit.
Spirit
Animals, especially dogs, are often your teachers. They have little to learn from you. But you have much to learn from them.
If there is one major lesson dogs have to teach you, it is this: Live in the moment! And this: Love unconditionally.
Your dogs find joy, passion, and pleasure in every moment of their physical lives. Even when they appear to you to be suffering from some physical illness or injury.
The difference between dogs and humans is dogs are uninhibited. They know who they are. All they want to do is simply be who they are. Nothing more, nothing less.
And so in their naturally uninhibited, unlimited being, they radiate an energy, love, and joy that can touch even the most hardened human hearts.
That’s all that matters — living every moment of your lives with joy and love. And positively affecting, even changing, all those around you. You will then be a force to be reckoned with.
Dogs have no fear of illness or death. And, more importantly, they have no fear of life. They immerse themselves in all the pleasures of physical existence. And they do it without hesitation and without guilt.
They are fully alive in every moment. Their intent is to simply live freely and joyously. Not a bad role model for you to follow!
They see little difference between life and death.
No matter how awful (or peaceful) their transition from life to death appears to you, those transitions are always easy and effortless to them.
And when they arrive “on the other side,” they continue their joyful, exuberant, and happy lives, romping and playing with abandon.
They often return to visit you. As do your human loved ones. But most of you are not open to that happening for you.
When you do not believe, you cannot see. You often say, “When I see it, I’ll believe it.” But it’s always the other way around — when you believe it, you’ll see it.
It’s all a matter of vibration. If you believe, you vibrate in a positive way. And then you open the “doorway” to those beings who, on the “other side,” are vibrating at that same high level.
You never lose those you love. If you remain open to them, “alive” or “dead,” you will always be comforted by them. You will feel their presence, their energy.
And you will know you are loved.
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