When Nixon died, it wasn't my first death or even close to the first death I've dealt with.  The words above ring so true to me now, even have me crying too.  I don't let people into my life anymore that would say, "Its just a dog."   I was able to embrace the waves as they came and not worry about anyone thinking I was being silly.  The waves had to come because he was such a wonderful friend.  I knew I would be overwhelmed and I know that for the rest of my life, just a little thing will set the tears free again.  And that is perfectly normal and that is how it should be. 

Until the day he died, my grandfather still cried over the death of his first horse. He was born in 1900 and was a Kuban Cossack.  He learned to ride before he could walk and that mare was his best friend.  She ate hay contaminated with blister beetles and died unexpectedly from it.  I'm sure he carried some extra grief because he fed her the hay but his grief was a role model for me on how love for an animal will stay with you your entire life.