My cat Shelby had the best purr ever; when she really got going, you could hear her across the room. At night, she would lie in bed and purr, her warm body snuggled against me. She even purred in her sleep; her sweet dreams revving the contented little motor of her soul. Shelby turned 14 years old in February, the same month her vet found a tumor in her abdomen. Because of her advanced age, the doctor was hesitant to operate. There wasn’t much I could do except try to keep her comfortable. … [Read more...]

Four months after we lost our beloved yellow Labrador retriever, Taylor, to cancer in June 2006, we found a black cocker spaniel at the Animal Humane Society in Golden Valley, Minnesota. The card attached to his kennel at the animal shelter had only one word typed on it in the section labeled history: "Abandoned." From the moment my wife, Linda, and I met this little guy, we couldn't get him out of our minds. We needed time to maturely reflect on such an important decision, so we asked the … [Read more...]

Feeling stressed? Lacking confidence? Aren't getting enough rest? Put down that latest self-help book and behold the stealthy swami that is the cat. These sleek sages know how to expertly embrace a peaceful, present, and playful existence. When I observe my three fuzzy felines and the manner in which they "are," I cannot help but pick up a few tips. Ask for what you want. Load your life (or nine) with all of your desires and meow for more! The world is your toy basket - fill it full of your … [Read more...]

Klondike came into my life when times were tough. Divorced and unemployed, I spent my days searching for work and fighting despair. To cheer myself up, I volunteered at an animal shelter twice a week. There I met a golden-red kitten who looked like a ray of sunlight. " 'Klondike' is a name he'll have to grow into," the woman at the shelter said when I told her the kitten's new name. That's exactly what he did. Within a few months, he was a massive cat with gigantic paws and a jolly round … [Read more...]

If there’s one lesson that we’re learning in 2009, it’s that we are all interconnected. And we are finding that we benefit by strengthening our sense of community and embracing a more open communications style with each other. Interestingly, more and more people are also finding comfort, solace and connection by including their best and most loyal companions – their pets – in their day-to-day communications. What is animal communication? In a nutshell, it’s the process of sending … [Read more...]

We didn't even know my sister Lori was sick, much less that she would die suddenly. She was only 45, and although her lifestyle increased her chances of illness (smoker, drinker, sedentary job) it was by no means any indicator of the transition to come. She died suddenly of a pulmonary embolism, sitting in her living room chair, twenty-four days after 9/11. My family is extremely close and we were planning a fall color train excursion in Wisconsin to celebrate my birthday, which had taken … [Read more...]

It's something of a paradox that I'm saying hello to the readers of The Edge for the first time, and writing about goodbyes. But when a topic is presented, I follow guidance and go with it. Such is the case this month. In life, there are many different levels of healing we may choose to experience throughout its course (or not). Likewise, with death, there are more finite observations to be made, if we have the perseverance and the courage to look for them. I am not immune, as a healer, to … [Read more...]

It was time. Kelly knew there was something wrong in her body. It was confirmed there was a growth near her heart. Acceptance of this fact seeped slowly into my consciousness. A hollow feeling invaded my belly, the feeling that takes hold of your stomach when it confronts loss. My thoughts raced - to memories - through fears - to possibilities. Kelly had been my constant companion for more than thirteen years. She greeted me in the morning with her wagging tail and followed me around the … [Read more...]

In my line of work as a medium and intuitive, I have found that pets are just like humans when it comes to being psychic. They all possess different abilities just like we do, and some don't use it, just as some of us don't. I am not an expert pet psychic, but if I need to I can tap into them just like tapping into another person. But just like humans, they have boundaries, too. So ask them before you tap into them. Most of my pets have had different abilities. I had a Doberman Pincher … [Read more...]

The other day I was talking to my dog, Java - telling her that I love her, thanking her for bringing immense joy and laughter into my life, and wondering what it will be like when she's not on this planet anymore. Java and I have spent almost every day together for the past 8-1/2 years. When I think of it that way, it's no wonder we have a tight bond. She knows secrets nobody else knows, and we've shared experiences unique to just the two of us. Magic happens when we connect with our pets … [Read more...]