WOW! I didn't realize how much I needed to hear this until I read these words. I still live in the past mourning my dog who died three years ago. In addition to missing him terribly, his death represented a chapter in my life that I wasn't ready to close and that takes away from my abilty to connect with my current dog. I constantly yearn for the "old days." This gave me a lot to think about - thank you for writing it.