Fear not, for I am with you always —Isaiah 41:10

My dog recently had a severe bout of separation anxiety. At one point I had to cancel lunch with Rev. Beth, because I was waiting for the contractor to make an emergency visit (at emergency prices!) to install a new back door.

Back story: While I was away on business, my dog went through the cat door, taking the frame with her. Several hours and several hundred dollars later, the frame was removed from her body. (Funny to look at; not so funny to deal with!) Her vet prescribed anti-anxiety meds and in my desperation to control destruction, I ordered an expensive crate, conveniently “forgetting” there was a reason I didn’t crate her: she is terrified of them! I hired a trainer to acclimate my dog to the crate.

Short story: It didn’t work.

I wanted a quick fix when there was none. As my own anxiety escalated, so did hers. It was only when I went back to basics and established “good hygiene” around comings and goings (acknowledge calmly, without excess emotion) that she began to settle down from the crisis that started when I was gone and she must’ve feared I was never coming back.

What I learned from this failed attempt to contain anxiety is that we can’t: no crate is big or strong enough to hold all the anxiety that we as humans—and animals—are capable of. Separation and anxiety are part of life. We can’t contain them, but we can pray for strength and guidance to endure them.

As I move to Knoxville I bid your prayers that my dog will settle peacefully into apartment life! I will miss Ascension, where Alex and I have made our parish home since 2003. (He is moving to Boone, NC to attend Appalachian State University.)

We can’t always stay home with our pets. We can’t always stay in the same town or parish. Because we get attached to people (and places and pets) it hurts to be separated. Yet in that place of fear and anxiety we can know that God is with us always.

Peace—Kim