I’ve been living in a retirement community since my husband passed away of a heart attack 11 years ago. Fortunately, I’ve been able to find many good friends here among other widowed women, and we have a great time getting together for potlucks, card games and other social activities. Because we live in a facility that allows pets, most of us have small dogs or cats living with us. Occasionally, one of our animals crosses the Rainbow Bridge, and when that occurs, the rest of us rally around the owner with sympathy and top-quality pet memorial gifts.
Because the passing of a beloved pet can be a traumatic experience, our group makes sure that we offer necessary comfort to the owner when these tragedies occur. We often read pet memorial poems at graveside services and hold celebrations of life afterward. Although it’s always difficult when a pet leaves us, we comfort ourselves with reminders of how they have enriched our lives.