My Journey with Rocky: Another Lesson in Letting Go

“Every gain, or loss, has an odd kind of Providence. So everything and everyone can indeed become...your Mother. Allowing us to truly let go and allow as is.. We meet our Divine Mother!”

This week I said goodbye to my 10-year-old Basset Hound, Rocky. We had been treating him for years for Addison’s disease but it was only in the last year and a half that his health declined, most likely due to cancer. He suddenly seemed to be in pain and I knew I would soon need to make the difficult decision to let him go. 

I decided to be very present with him, believing that, if I tuned into his energy, he would let me know when it was time. 

Yet, even after my inner knowing clearly received the message, I didn’t want to face facts. I didn’t want to be the one to make the call. 

I didn’t want to feel the hole that would be there on the other side. 

My daughter and I took Rocky to the vet. Everyone there was wearing masks and I had a hard time hearing and understanding what was being said, especially through my tears. 

I asked the vet, if this was your dog, what would you do? She agreed that Rocky was very sick and in pain. She also said there were more tests we could consider and I found myself agreeing, hoping for a last-minute miracle. But when she went to put a muzzle on Rocky, he didn’t even lift his head. 

It was as if he was saying no. And I knew that he was done. 

I reminded myself of my decision to witness and watch him and let him speak to me. I was grateful for my inner knowing and for the deeper communication that was happening. 

Moments after he was gone, my daughter said, “Mom, he’s at peace. I can feel it!”

At home, I spent time sitting outside, allowing myself to feel the hole that Rocky left behind. There was a silence and stillness in the air that was almost haunting. It felt as if a puzzle piece was missing from my life.

My sense of  loss and grief was like looking into an abyss. In moments like this, I’ve learned to call on whale energy and practice WhaleBreathing. 

WhaleBreathing reconnects us by drawing on the high vibration of Whale Energy and reawakens us to honor and pay attention to our own body.

Whales do not fear the abyss. They have the ability to dive deep into the darkness and rise again. They represent our deepest soul connection. They teach me that when I allow myself to accept and grieve my losses, my soul is transformed. 

I know from experience that life fills the holes and shows me a new way of being. Even when it’s uncomfortable. 

My dear dog Rocky was my rock. When things were out of balance, he would let us know. If the other dogs were fighting or we were fighting, he would howl. I’ve joked that he must have been an elephant in a former life. He was gentle and loving and wanted everything in harmony. 

He was my teacher because this is the work I’m trying to bring into the world.

So even as I grieve the loss of Rocky, if I can sit with it and breathe into the emptiness, I feel the presence of something profound, a vastness that feels spiritual and beautiful. 

Rocky taught me that when we give ourselves permission to love, it’s like bringing heaven down to earth. 

Thank you, Rocky, for journeying with me. You will be missed very deeply.  

My healing work is about helping others make this type of journey through resistance and loss to a place of peace. Learn more about my work and my upcoming online class HERE.