“grief is just love with no place to go”

I’ve long held this famous quote by Jamie Anderson, close to my heart. Maybe you’ve heard it, too.

It’s one of those phrases that lingers, because it speaks so honestly to the ache we feel after losing someone we love—especially a beloved pet.

If you're facing the end of your pet’s life, or you've already had to say goodbye, you may recognize that feeling instantly.

It’s the quiet moments that hit the hardest:

The morning routine that no longer includes a leash.

The space on the bed that feels too empty.

The instinct to reach for them, only to remember they’re no longer there.

There’s so much love still inside you… but suddenly, it has nowhere familiar to go.

And that can feel unbearable.

Not long ago, I came across someone who challenged that quote. They said:

Our love does have somewhere to go.

Into the memory of our pet.

Into the people who stood by us in our grief.

Into our healing.

Into the ways we carry their legacy forward.

And you know what? That’s true, too.

Because grief isn’t just one thing.

It’s not just sadness. Or longing.

It’s a process of transformation.

At first, grief may feel like a storm of love with no direction - lost, overwhelming, all-consuming.

But with time, care, and support, that love can begin to find new homes.

In the way you speak their name.

In the rituals you create to honor their life.

In the choice to love again, even when it hurts.

So maybe grief is love with no place to go…

at first.

But slowly, gently, we learn how to give that love new life.

We learn to carry it with us, not as a weight, but as a thread connecting us to something sacred.

And if you’re in that space right now, anticipating a loss or trying to make sense of one that’s already come, please know this:

You are not alone.

Your love didn’t end.

And your grief is not something to be fixed—only witnessed, honored, and held.