Some words stay with you throughout your life, sometimes for reasons you don't fully appreciate until much later.
Early in my career, while working as a veterinary nurse in a cardiology clinic, I came across a passage in a book co-authored by my then boss. It contained a quotation attributed to William Harvey that really struck a chord with me. In fact, I remember it resonating so strongly that I'm fairly sure I even included it in my application to veterinary school.
“The heart of animals is the foundation of their life, the sovereign of everything within them, the sun of their microcosm, that upon which all growth depends, from which all power proceeds.”
— William Harvey
While the passage speaks about the physical heart, I've always felt there is something rather beautiful about its broader meaning.
The animals who share our lives become so much more than companions. They become part of our families, our routines, our stories, and the memories that make up our lives. They are there through the big moments, offering comfort and companionship through life's challenges, but they're equally there for all the little moments that make up our everyday lives.
Over the past few years of running Compassionate Paws, we've been honoured to share in so many of those memories, even during what are often incredibly difficult days for families.
We've laughed and cried with families, shared prayers, watched videos, listened to stories, and heard about the lives of so many cherished pets. We've heard about their funny little habits, their favourite things, the mischief they've got themselves into, the adventures they've shared, and the countless ways they've become part of a family.
It is always humbling and inspiring to be invited into those moments. Even in the sadness of saying goodbye, there is so often warmth, laughter, gratitude, and an incredible amount of love.
We sometimes hear people comment that the passing of a much loved pet has felt harder than losing a human family member. Of course, grief is deeply personal, and everyone's experience is different. But I think those comments reflect something quite profound about the place animals hold in our lives.
Our pets are family. They're there for the big moments, but also for all the little ones. It's a head resting on your lap after a difficult day, a familiar shape curled up at the end of the bed, a dog quietly following you from room to room, or a cat purring away beside you while you settle in for the evening. It's the excitement when you arrive home, the familiar routines, and simply knowing they're there.
Over time, these little moments become part of the rhythm of our lives. Our animals find their place in our homes, our families, and ultimately, right at the centre of it all. They become part of the heart of our home.
Perhaps that's why their absence can leave such an enormous space. It's not just the loss of a companion, but the loss of all those little interactions and familiar moments that we may never have realised meant quite so much until they were gone.
Grief is deeply personal. There is no right or wrong way to experience it, and no measure against which it should be compared. What we do know is that the love we have for our animals, and the place they hold in our lives, is very real.
For those families we've had the privilege of helping through saying goodbye, we'd like to extend a personal invitation to share a little of your companion's story on our website's Memorial Wall.
We've created this space as a place to remember and celebrate the lives of the animals who have meant so much to us. It's still in its early days, and we'd love for it to grow into a collection of the many wonderful lives and stories we've been fortunate enough to hear along the way.
If you'd like to share a photograph, a favourite memory, or simply a few words about a much-loved friend, we'd be honoured to help you remember them.
Because they may not be with us forever, but they will always be part of our story.