Every September 11, on National Pet Memorial Day, I remember my beloved dog Argo.
The first few years of his loss were really sad and commemorating him made me in a bad mood...his memory was vivid in me and I missed him terribly.
Yet now I have managed to create a ritual, a ritual that unites us every year, together again. Now you will surely think. "but how do you remember it"?
Don't just think about a prayer, or lighting a candle at night before bedtime...
Yes, there are also those two things...
But what I do is something deeper, and that every year makes me feel good and keeps his memory alive and positive.
I'll explain in the next few lines...
Is better to have loved and lost?
Anyone who has, or has had the honor, of having a pet by his or her side is aware that his or her life has improved because of it.
There is a blog article I created recently that talks about precisely why your pet has made you a better person.
According to a survey, 94% of pet owners say their pet has made them smile every day.
The fact that it makes us smile every day, is meant to be more positive....
Surely you remember your friend who complains every single time you meet her and have a chat. Or that coworker who always thinks that negative things only and only happen to him. Maybe they complain so much because they don't have a pet to brighten their days.
Well they don't know what they're missing..Don't you think?
But on Memorial Day you may feel sad and melancholy, I know I've been there.
For years I struggled to think positively since Argo was gone...But I have created a way to remember him positively, without sadness.
Today I want to give you my routine to remember my 4-legged friend on Pet Memorial Day.
What I do on National Pet Memorial Day to remember my dog Argo
Every year on September 11, I remember my beloved pet Argo.
The first years of his loss were really sad and commemorating him made me in a bad mood...his memory was vivid in me and I missed him terribly.
Yet now I see it almost as a ritual, a ritual that unites us every year, together again.
Now you will surely think. "But how do you remember him?"
Don't just think about a prayer, or lighting a candle...
Yes, there are also those two things, but what I do is something deeper, and makes me feel good and keeps his memory alive and positive every year.
What I do?
I created my own Argo memorial day.
In the morning the first thing I do is look at the beautiful and positive Flowerpup style portrait of Argo while eating breakfast.
I have a lot of Flowerpup and other styles portraits of him (you can see other styles here). But the one where there is the Rainbow Bridge is really special to me...
In fact on this very day that portrait allows me to cross the rainbow bridge and visit my beloved Argo, and to feel him close to me.
I remember his smell of lavender -- his wet nose on my arm when he fell asleep beside me (he snored beside me!).
When I look at that portrait, I remember the wonderful times I had with him -- and I imagine what the day might be like if he were there with me.
I don't just imagine, I live it!
I go to the park at 7 o'clock, where I used to take him for his morning walk.
Back from the walk, after a shower, I get to work.
He would watch me and snooze, until lunchtime.
At lunch, to remember him, I cook one of his favorite dishes: meat pie with carrots. I swear he loved eating carrots, he was a glutton for them!
In the afternoon I go for a walk in the woods, surrounded by nature. He really liked it. it's a forest between mountains and hills not very far from my house.
It happened often on weekends to take him, and he was super happy: as soon as I said: "shall we go to the woods?" he would start jumping and wagging his tail happily as if it was the happiest day of his life.
On those days I took him to the woods, we often saw squirrels climbing and jumping from branch to branch. He would always bring home acorns or pine cones.
I still to this day, to remember him, go for a walk the that forest just on the pet's memorial day, and I always bring home a pine cone or acorns.
I even created a wonderful jar with all the ones he collected over the years.
A vase where I now always pick fresh flowers for him.
But his memorial day is special, in fact I go to the florist to get some wonderful sunflowers to put in that very vase.
And in the evening what do I do to commemorate him?
In the evening, I light the lavender-flavored candle (he often smelled like lavender ) next to his portrait...I stare at it, kiss it, and sit on the couch watching one of his favorite movies: This year it's Balto's turn.
And I remember it that way until I fall asleep.
Create your own day of remembrance
Do you remember what your pet loved to do?
Try creating your own typical day to remember him on his memorial day. Do what you loved to do with him, and do what he loved to do with you.
Honor him with a portrait, or by flipping through his photo album, or writing about him.
Take even 15 minutes on this day and remember it positively. It may be that a tear will wet your face, or it may be that on this very day you feel more sad and melancholy than usual... It's okay to not blame yourself, it's normal.
If you can't share this moment alone with youself, then do it with your husband, children or a friend.
It will help you.
Souvenir photo: A portrait of pure love
My Argo was pure love.. even though I knew I could not be with him forever. What he gave me was far greater than the pain I faced from his loss.
And his portrait always reminds me of that.
What will you do to commemorate him?
I would be happy to portray him in a positive and colorful Flowerpup portrait.
And if you want, I will draw you the rainbow bridge so that you can cross it and meet him again and again, every morning, as soon as your gaze rests on his portrait.
Just click on the link below.
Hug, Helen
