When my dog Nala died, 

The pain was enormous. 

But my biggest regret, 

Was that the pain was not even bigger. 

See, 

The pain was only as big as the amount I let her in while she was alive

The amount I allowed myself to love

And the amount I allowed her to affect me

And because of how deeply I loved her, 

The pain was nearly unbearable. 

But my only regret

Was that I didn’t love her more

That I wasn’t even more vulnerable with her while she was around, 

So that the pain could be even deeper. 

Because the pain

Was a sign of how deeply I was able to let my heart rest in the hands of another

And the pain that came with her loss, 

Was 100% worth it, for the love that it let into my life. 

Thank you Nala, 

From the bottom of my Kintsugi heart.