Goodbye, Friend: Healing Wisdom for Anyone Who Has Ever Lost a Pet Book

I bought this today to try to get some comfort to ease the sadness and grief I've felt since my dog Peanut died on 01/19.

It did bring some smiles to my fact but overall, I still feel the same. It does give some advice about the grieving process, but nothing I didn't already know (eat right, get some exercise, take care of yourself, etc).

A few quotes I found sweet:

"'Until one has loved an animal,' wrote Anatole France, 'a part of one's soul remains unawakened.' Almost anyone who has ever let an animal under his or her skin will agree that for all the aggravations and heartaches that come with having a pet, the return in love, affection, and memory can make it all worthwhile."

"It is important to know you make a difference, at least to one appreciative creature."

"One veterinarian I know with a small animal practice in New York says she firmly believes that most creatures know when their time is up. They are ready for their departure. That opinion is shared by Connie Howard, who directs our local humane society. She told me how in the middle of a sub-zero Vermont winter her cat had unaccountably gone into hiding under a porch-not a location the animal would ordinarily choose for a midday siesta. Connie had not even realized her pet was sick. But the cat, which had end-stage renal disease, seemed to know exactly what was happening. It was doing its best to die."

"Grieving takes time, and mourning sticks to no prescribed schedule. While it will not happen instantly or immediately, the sadness we feel from losing a pet can gradually diminish while warm and funny memories remain and grow richer in our minds. We recall good times we shared. Eventually, we can look back calmly on the years gone by-never without a tinge of sorrow, but with a powerful feeling of gratitude for a wonderful friendship. We know how blessed we have been to love and be loved, even if only for short interlude."

RIP my sweet Peanut, you were taken from me way too soon...