Hope 💔 Why Do Dogs Leave Us Too Soon

The Whole Again Podcast: Mindfulness and Resilience through Kinstugi Wisdom airs every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with Pause Breathe Reflect Microdose Meditations, Growth Mindset and Mindfulness Tips, to help us transform our scars into healing and resilience.

And between May and October, I'm sharing a new series I'm calling: A Perfectly Imperfect Union. It's about connecting with every day folks as they reflect on America at 250. Conversations will air every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

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She was 16 years old, and she never once kept score.

That's Hope. An English Springer Spaniel who came into Michael O'Brien's life 10 years ago, flew in from Portland, climbed right into his lap while he was driving, and never really left.

In this episode of Whole Again, Michael does something he's been trying to do for weeks -- record this episode without breaking down. He mostly doesn't make it. And that's exactly the point.

Hope recently passed away, and grief has a way of arriving on its own schedule, not yours. Michael opens up about what it's like to lose a dog who converted self-proclaimed dog haters, who rode shotgun across America in an RV called Maizie, and who showed up to love without conditions, without a playbook, without ever once keeping track of whether it was your turn.

He also reflects on something most of us try to avoid -- the idea that grief isn't a problem to solve. It's part of what makes a meaningful life. And Kintsugi, the art of golden repair, doesn't ask us to pretend the cracks aren't there. It asks us to let them be seen.

If you've ever loved an animal, lost one, or are quietly bracing yourself for that day, this episode will meet you right where you are.

Before you go, Michael has a question for you:

Who in your life right now needs to know you love them before tomorrow comes?

Drop your answer in the comments. And share this episode with someone who is carrying a loss right now, big or small, recent or old. They need to know they are not alone.

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