♪♪ >> DOMINIC: I AM, FOR LACK OF A BETTER PHRASE, THE DEATH CHRONICLER IN MY COMMUNITY.

I CANNOT COUNT HOW MANY OBITUARIES I'VE WRITTEN FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

I HAVE STOOD AND DELIVERED EULOGIES AND ELEGIES -- SOMETIMES ON THIS VERY SPOT -- FOR MY PARENTS AND IN-LAWS, GOOD FRIENDS, A TEACHER, A BROTHER.

ALL DRY-EYED.

SO WHEN WE HELPED OUR BELOVED MOLLY CROSS THE RAINBOW BRIDGE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE HARD.

BUT I WAS HOPING I COULD HOLD IT TOGETHER.

THE VET CAME TO OUR HOUSE.

THE KIDS WERE REALLY SAD.

MY WIFE WAS BEREFT.

AND ME?

I COMPLETELY LOST IT.

TOTAL EMOTIONAL BREAKDOWN.

WE'RE TALKING RENDING-GARMENTS KIND OF STUFF.

AND AS I'VE TALKED TO FRIENDS WHO HAVE GONE DOWN THIS ROAD, I'M LEARNING THAT THIS IS NOT UNUSUAL.

ONE CONFIDED, GUILTILY, THAT THEY THOUGHT THEY FELT WORSE ABOUT THE DEATH OF THEIR DOG THAN THAT OF THEIR OWN MOTHER.

THAT'S AN APPLES-TO-ORANGES COMPARISON, BUT IT DOESN'T COME FROM NOWHERE.

I THINK THAT ANIMALS, DOGS ESPECIALLY, CAN BE REPOSITORIES FOR THE EMOTIONS WE CANNOT OR WILL NOT LET OUT.

MOLLY SAT AT MY FEET AS I COMPOSED MANY OF THOSE REMEMBRANCES AND MEMORIALS, AND I GUESS SHE MUST HAVE ABSORBED SOME OF THAT GRIEF.

WHEN SHE DIED, IT ALL GOT RELEASED BACK TO ME.

AND SO MAYBE I WAS KEENING, NOT JUST FOR MY DOG, BUT FOR ALL THAT OTHER LOSS AS WELL.

I MISS MOLLY, AND IF MY SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNITY IS ANY GAUGE, I WILL FOR A WHILE.

AND THAT'S OKAY.

FOR, AS TENNYSON WROTE: "I HOLD IT TRUE, WHATE'ER BEFALL.

I FEEL IT, WHEN I SORROW MOST.

'TIS BETTER TO HAVE LOVED AND LOST, THAN NEVER TO HAVE LOVED AT ALL."