“When inspiration has become hidden, when we feel ready to give up, this is the time when healing can be found in the tenderness of pain itself.” Pema Chödrön, American Buddhist teacher and author
Saying Goodbye to Benson is a touching pet loss memoir, offering practical meditations on grief, and the use of mindfulness to help release the heavy burden of guilt and find peace after losing a beloved companion.
The book celebrates the life of Benson, an anxious yet lovable toy fox terrier Chris and Deb had for fourteen amazing years. The book chronicles Benson’s most endearing moments, and reflects on the coping strategies the married couple used to find peace after his passing, including mindfulness meditation, the contemplation of impermanence and suffering, bodhichitta (the awakened heart), and maitri (loving-kindness).
Told through a witty and engaging narrative that includes over fifty original photographs, the book takes readers through Benson’s days as a floppy-eared puppy who fearlessly leaped over baby gates, to a gray-muzzled senior dog who could no longer walk up and down steps.
Suffering and losing his mobility, Chris and Deb were forced to say their final goodbyes before putting him down. Stuck in the “bargaining” stage of grief, they struggled with guilt over their decision. Using mindfulness and self-love, they faced their pain and allowed it to open their hearts, ultimately finding peace, comfort, and the strength to finally let go.
