A few weeks ago, we said goodbye to Kaya. Her loss left a deep emptiness in our home, and coming to peace with her passing is its own journey, one that will take time and unfold in its own way.
A little while later, we welcomed Devi into our lives. She is not a replacement for Kaya. She is her own dog with her own spirit, and getting to know her is an entirely different experience.
She came to us through Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, from a high kill shelter in South Carolina. She is 7 months old and quickly integrating into our pack
These two paths exist together: grief for what we’ve lost and joy for what is new are not in competition. One does not diminish the other.
I’ve come to believe that one of life’s great challenges is learning to survive loss and love again quickly. Not because the loss didn’t matter, but because it did. The answer to heartbreak is not to close our hearts. It’s to honor what was, embrace what is, and allow both to coexist.
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
– Walt Disney
