Heartbreak and the Essence of Being Human

Surely one reason God placed us on earth is so we can learn from plants and animals to accept and trust the constant movement of death and new life. As I was reminded this week, upon learning of the death of Ellie, my beloved feline companion before I entered the monastery, heartbreak is an inevitable part of coming to this acceptance. David Whyte states it eloquently: “Heartbreak may be the very essence of being human, of being on the journey from here to there, and of coming to care deeply for what we find along the way.”

I was very fortunate to find Ellie along my journey from here to there, because she has been my best teacher in how to be present to others and to each day of life. She offered gentle hospitality to all those who came to our door, she spent much more time in meditation on my prayer rug than I did, and she radiated a sense of serenity, trust, wisdom, and grace.

I am heartbroken to hear that a sudden illness left her in great pain before her current human companions freed her to move into new life. I take comfort in words of St. Francis, paraphrased by Daniel Ladinsky: “Does every creature have a soul? Surely they do; for anything God has touched will have life forever, and all creatures he has held.” Her wise soul surely lives on, and my heartbreak at her passing is yet another gift to help prepare me to be ready for my own ultimate letting go. What a blessing she has been to me. From the depths of my sadness, another emotion can’t help but surface—gratitude that God gifted me with such an extraordinary guide and companion for a brief but graced portion of my journey.