Thank you all for your responses. This I now know for certain: many of you are coping with grief. Unfortunately, like a cold, there's really no way around it. Fortunately, you're not alone; loss is something we all have in common. Most major changes in life carry with them the feeling of loss... of the way it used to be. Adjustment is very hard, but everyone has to eventually cope with this heartache, through the death of moms and dads and children and mates and grandparents and friends and.... beloved pets. This I also know for certain; there are no rules. Everyone deals with grief differently. There is no wrong way to react. The profound sadness might mellow in time, but the memory of "then" can lurk around and suddenly loom like it was yesterday. It might seem frivolous in light of such sadness, but it's been proven: laughter can offer you relief when even one minute counts. I've heard from many grateful friends over the years after I sent them a humorous card in the midst of a really awful time. Consider visiting your local, humorous, greeting card rack. Laughing is mandatory there.