>>11329888I don't know why, but I almost feel the opposite in a lot of ways.
When my grandfather passed, I was extremely sad, of course, but in a way it didn't hurt so bad, because I knew that he was in a better place now, and that I would always have a part of him with me in the lessons he taught me and the experiences we shared. He left an impact on the world through so many people, and I could feel a bit more at ease knowing there was always a part of him that was being carried on by me through that impact.
But when my dog died, well, it may have been worse because I was there for the very moment of her death, and it was somewhat unexpected that she would pass that day, we had all hoped she was recovering, but it turned out to just be her last wind for a day or two, sadly. But it hit when she died that she really didn't have that same impact on the world.
When humans die, we survive by our actions and our legacy. But when an animal you cared for dies, the only way they live on is through you. No one else will carry the impact of that animal through their lives. It felt more devastating to know, I think, that you were their only link to the world at the end of it all, compared to a human who dies after a good, long life spent leaving your legacy in the minds of everyone who knew them.
