As someone who creates handmade memorial knit items for pets, I often hear heartfelt stories from people grieving the loss of their beloved dogs and cats.
In this blog post, I want to share my thoughts on how to stay positive while coping with pet loss, even when it feels incredibly difficult.
I’ve also experienced the pain of saying goodbye to my own pets—both dogs and cats—multiple times. Now, I listen to others going through the same heartbreak while creating memorial pieces to honor their companions.
Many of my customers tell me they feel they need to stay strong and positive, even in the midst of overwhelming grief.
But I always want to say: “You don’t have to push yourself so hard.”
I’ve been living with pet loss for over three years now, and in this post, I’ll share how I go about my days—slowly, gently, and without putting too much pressure on myself.
If any part of my approach helps you even a little, I’ll be truly happy.
How to deal with the pain of losing a pet in a positive way
First, I would like to share some words a customer once told me.
“The pain of pet loss is proof of the love you had.
So it’s okay to carry that pain for a lifetime.”
Isn’t that a beautiful way to think about it?
When you can accept this idea, even your own sadness can feel a little comforting.
Because it’s a sign of how deeply you loved.
Another phrase a customer shared with me was:
“Pet loss doesn’t have to disappear—it’s the bond you shared with your pet.”
If you think of the loneliness and lingering sadness as the connection you still have with your departed pet, you can truly feel the depth of that bond.
These words brought me great comfort.
And one more thing:
“Living with this pain is the owner’s final role.”
When I heard this, I realized that even after saying goodbye to a life, there is still something we can do as pet owners.
Our pet isn’t just ours until their last breath.
Even after they’re gone, they will always be a part of our family.
Holding onto that feeling might help lift some of the heaviness in your heart and bring a little hope forward.
My thoughts
I create pet memorial items while consulting with everyone.
I make my products using knitting, and I think about many things while I’m knitting.
I hope that people will feel a little better after receiving their items, and I’d be even happier if my work could provide them with emotional support.
I would be very happy if my work could help customers live their lives with a renewed sense of purpose.
When I receive advice on people’s problems, I feel lonely because I am also affected by it.
But when I receive thank-you emails after delivering my products,
I always think to myself, “I’m glad I do this job.”
I would be happy if I can help people become even a little more positive.
Even if you’re sad after losing a pet, you can still persevere
I have also lost beloved dogs and cats.
Especially when I lost my first dog, I was mentally overwhelmed and even developed depression a few years later.
Many years passed after that, and then I lost a beloved cat—my second experience with pet loss.
By that time, I was often counseling customers going through the same grief, so I had developed my own ways of coping.
But still, tears would come, regrets would linger, and things didn’t always go as I hoped.
When I started to feel a little calmer, I began facing the memories of Maro, my cat.
Whenever I felt lost, I would ask myself, “What would Maro do?”
Doing this felt like having a conversation with Maro, and it brought me some comfort.
I don’t share this with many people.
It’s a secret between Maro and me.
Having that secret just between us somehow makes me feel a little stronger.
Maro’s collar has now become my bracelet.
When I’m feeling down, I wear it.
I’ve made the collar smaller to fit, but I’ve kept the charm with Maro’s name on it just as it was.
When times are tough, try thinking that your pet in heaven is there to help you.
That’s how I’ve been able to get through my pet loss.
When I create my memorial knits, I also offer pet loss counseling via E-mail.
Please feel free to reach out if you want to talk when placing an order.
