We’ve all experienced the loss of a pet. The feelings of loss and grief can be overwhelming. Most often, the animal is cremated and either buried in a pet cemetery, your own property (only if it’s legal in your neighborhood, of course), or one might even save the ashes in an urn and keep them close by.
Grief is a process and grief experts tell us that it is experienced in somewhat predictable ways by going through certain stages. Denial, sadness, anger, etc. Nonetheless, just as no two people are like, neither is their personal experience when it comes to the death of a loved one. And, although some that aren’t “pet people” would argue that there is a difference between the grief over a friend or relative and an animal do not compare, there are people who would strongly disagree. Make no mistake; the feelings can be quite profound.
Now, I know I’m going to take a lot of heat for what I’m about to say. And it is just as true for those suffering the loss of a human being or the loss of a pet. There is a point at which grieving passes the point of being reasonable or rational. There is a customary period of time that society has deemed acceptable. There is usually a period after which you would be expected to return to work, then after another period of time people would expect you to resume some of your social activities, etc. That amount of time is not set in stone and some people may take a little longer than others to rebound, but still… At some point, it will be time to move on. Start dating; get a new dog or cat, etc. You can’t let your loss overwhelm and control you forever. Grief will eventually turn into plain old good memories. At least they should. If not, you should definitely consider seeking professional help.
That brings me to a couple of interesting ways I stumbled upon to honor those memories. It is when we are able to memorialize someone or some pet we’ve lost; we have most likely achieved the ability to move on in our own lives. The memorial itself serves as a physical reminder of what was lost.
The first example is something I would have never believed if someone on the street had told me about it. It’s called LifeGem. Believe it or not, it is what it sounds like. It is a lab-created diamond made from carbon extracted from the cremated remains of the deceased. I kid you not. The diamond is real and is created by simulating the same conditions that exist in nature to create natural diamonds.
The process itself is very scientific. The company itself really seems to be intent on providing comfort to the bereaved and considers this to be an alternative to the more traditional versions of memorializing loved ones. The idea is to commemorate loved ones and be able to keep a part of them close. Additionally, it would become a family heirloom – literally! Requests came, of course, to do this for pets that have died. The response was that it could absolutely be done.
The stones created are a fiery yellow (a color found in natural diamonds) and came be made in sizes ranging from .25 C to 1.3 C. They can faceted to your specifications and are certified as real. The process takes about 18 weeks.
If you’d like to find out more, I suggest their website, www.lifegem.com. It is very informative and gives much more detail on the process as well as pricing and where to find the nearest location. LifeGem’s address & telephone number is:
LifeGem, 836 Arlington Heights Road #311
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
866-LIFEGEM (866-543-3436)
Another idea, one that is less elaborate and significantly less expensive, is the WithMeForever™ scroll pendant or key chain. The artist that designed these products says that “it is designed to hold a symbol [such as a strand of hair or a photo] and written affirmation of your unending connection.”
If you’d like to find out more, visit their website, www.withmeforever.com, or contact her at:
