Only Gone From Your Sight: Jack McAfghan's Little Guide to Pet Loss and Grief (Jack McAfghan Pet Loss Series)

In my review of, "Only Gone From Your Sight", I'd like to give a little background to Jack McAfghan. There are many ways that I've come to be a faithful reader of Jack McAfghan's books. The first introduction to Jack and his wisdom on grief and healing was when I "met" him years ago, while searching for pet loss support groups online. My heart dog, Lilly had just passed and no relief could be found for me..untiI I "stumbled" on Jack and his first book, "Reflections of Life with my Master". I discovered it was the love story of his master, Kate, and her love and life with him; then with only eight short years with his love, she had to say 'farewell' as he passed over the Bridge. It was the beginning of a profound grief for her. I know now that this book came into my hands by the grace of God, as it was my full story, too, about such extreme grief over the passing of an animal companion. This book changed my life because it spoke to me unlike any others. It is a love story that walks with you through your grief in a beautiful way towards healing and hope, confirming that they are only "gone from our sight" and that we will see them again in eternity. Kate is a seasoned grief counselor who has over 30 years experience as a counselor in a hospice environment and if anyone would have the personal experience and expertise of helping people through the grieving process, it would be Kate. She has written, through the voice of her beloved Jack, enduring wisdom that draws from these experiences of personal loss and assisting others in theirs. "Only Gone From Sight" is Jack's 4th book, which was finished on the anniversary of Jack's fourth Rainbow Bridge anniversary. This little guide to healing grief is one that should be in the hands of everyone who is going through or has suffered through grief over the loss of a beloved human or animal. Reading through this wonderful book, I kept thinking of Kate and Jack and their amazing way of speaking right into the heart. Just a look at the table of contents, you'll see a well thought out and compassionate guide through grief in each chapter. When you're so lost in your pain, your soul flounders in doubt and fear. This little guide brings you back to shore. Every question, every doubt is settled here. Each chapter speakers to the practical and the spiritual; each a gift that answers everything your heart needs to heal. It's coming on the 4th year of my heart friend's passing to the Bridge, too. And although, I must admit, there were many tears through reading this; mostly from thinking about how precious a life is; both human and animal. There's a certain length of time each one of us has on this earth. If we could navigate through the emotions when a beloved has passed with the truths that this little gem provides, then we could live a much happier one knowing, as this book confirms, that love and spirit never die. We will see our loved ones again. I highly recommend this wonderful, little guide and handy reference for you in helping others, too. (I see this book in veterinarian's offices. They, too, experience grief - great guide for them and their animal caretakers.)

Only Gone From your Sight is a deeply felt, wise, and lovingly written book offering healing from loss and spiritual insights that resonate truthfully with me. It has provided greatly needed comfort and hope to me while grieving the loss of my beloved dog. I reread the book often and have also given copies to friends struggling with the heartbreaking pain of losing a beloved animal companion. I’ve no doubt our animal companions’ loving spirits live on, are with us, and are only gone from our sight. Thank you Kate McGahan and Jack for writing this true gift of a book.

This was a very awakening book for me. My therapist recommended i read it after the loss of my Service dog Juno. JUNO was a 4 lb. Yorkie the would alert me when I was about to have a vomiting episode. I went into such a depressed stage when I lost Juno and everybody kept saying it's just a dog. NO Juno was like a child to me. This book guides you thru the stages of losing your sweet pet thru the words of Jack a beloved dog of Kate. Thru his words you feel like he's actually talking. It's an easy read. I'm not much of a bookworm so Jack made it easy. If you are heartbroken and struggling at the loss of a beloved pet this is your book

Bought this after losing my corgi and was totally distraught. This book was such a comfort, and I recommend for anyone going through the grief of pet loss. Love is energy, and energy never dies. It just changes form. I recommend the whole series. Thank you Jack and Kate!

Kate and Jack hold a special place in my heart. I found them when I was in the pits of despair, raw from grief which had torn my heart and soul in two in 2015. I say I found them, but as Kate would say - Jack found me. They taught me that Love Never Dies. My heart is full and my soul dog Jade dances with joy every time I read a new book by Kate. This book #4, Only Gone From Your Sight: Jack McAfghan’s Little Guide to Pet Loss and Grief, is a great book. It is a powerful read full of information on the stages of grieving and more. I revisited ALL of my losses while reading, both 2-legged and 4-legged. This book will help you with any loss, including loss of yourself while you journey through grief. You will come out on the other side of grief with a broader understanding of yourself and others in the process. Kate and Jack discuss all the hard truths of grief and pain of the heart in this book. This book is an expanding upon book #1, Reflections on Life with my Master. Kate pours her years of knowledge as a hospice grief counselor and social worker out to us. She tells us “how it is” in a firm and loving way. The book flows. It validated me, I know that “I did right” in all my experiences with those I love who’ve transitioned. Read it slowly, take your time, but read it.

This is indeed a guide to grief, infused with the wisdom of Jack McAfghan throughout. This book guides you step by step through the stages of grief and gives insight on how to personally navigate each one as you go through your own journey of grief, growth, and healing. So inspirational in the fact that you really feel understood in all that you are experiencing, and profound in the way in which you start to understand that it's all by design so that you grow and learn important life lessons along the way and come out of your grief with a new perspective on life and the universe around you. How we are all connected, how love never dies, how to truly let go without feeling guilty so that you may break the chains of grief that bind you and keep you from growing, and how in return you free the one you are grieving so that you can truly connect through a place of love and positivity instead of through the heavy veil of grief. You come out on the other side feeling inspired and enlightened, like a weight has been lifted off of your shoulders. This is based on pet loss, but is universal in its message so that it may be used in any situation where you might be experiencing loss in your life, whether it be a pet, a human loved one, or any change in your life where you must grieve and grow from the experience (divorce, loss of a job/career, losing your home, etc..). Truly inspirational!

I first read ‘It's Not Putting Me Down, It's Lifting Me Up’ while I was preparing for my tuxedo cat Alejandro’s departure. We had 3 weeks from when we knew what was wrong to when he exited his little body. I read the book out loud to him… it was as if my Alejandro was speaking directly to me. After he crossed to Rainbow Bridge I then read 'Only Gone From Your Sight'. This book contains contents from the other book and more. It is helping me deal with my post-loss grief. I find it a helpful book in working through my grief for my Alejandro as well as other old grief this loss is bringing to surface for me. I have written down many quotes from these two books, I find comfort & inspiration in them. Thank you for writing them!

This was a very nice book about the enduring love between humans and our pets. It offered up ways to get through the pain of losing our soul animal. It helped me to know that others are just like me, heartbroken and sad.

Esse foi o 1o livro que comprei depois que, como um presente dos céus - e hoje em dia eu sei que foi, comecei a me deparar com posts de Jack McAfghan aparecendo pra mim no final de dezembro de 2020. Já fazia quase 3 anos que eu tinha perdido meu fiel amigo e companheiro de 13 anos, meu cão, que era praticamente meu filho e que me fez descobrir o tamanho do amor que existia em mim. Eu ainda sofria muito sentindo saudades, pensando no que eu poderia ter feito diferente, nos erros que cometi, nos momentos que perdi a paciência, me cobrava muito - e estava num período de muita dor que nem terapia, nem outros livros conseguiam me ajudar. Nada tocava meu coração e pensamento. E foi exatamente essa frase do título do livro que me fez prestar atenção "Only Gone from Your Sight"... Kate & Jack têm uma maneira única de mostrar como os nossos amados continuam presentes em nossa vida, como eles querem nos ver felizes, como esse amor que compartilhamos com eles é eterno, como eles nos mandam pequenos e grandes sinais de que estão conosco. Foi uma jornada de cura, que eu ainda estou caminhando quase 7 anos depois da partida do meu amado velhinho, e que agora tem a companhia de uma linda cachorrinha, alegre, extremamente amorosa e engraçada, que só pôde vir pra mim porque eu me permiti amar novamente, pois aprendi com os livros de Kate McGahan que através desse amor que dedico à ela, eu também estendo à todos os meus pets que não estão mais comigo. Eu não poderia recomendar outra leitura, esse livro foi o primeiro passo de uma jornada de amor e cura!

I primi capitoli, ho pianto a dirotto..perchè ho rivissuto le emozioni e il dolore anche per perdite precedenti. In soli 4 giorni ho finito di leggerlo. è molto bello, commovente e rispecchia esattamente le emozioni che ho provato e che provo adesso. Mi ha aiutato, mi ha aiutato a capire che dovevo lasciarlo andare e mi ha aiutata a stare meglio

This was the first book I read after the devastating loss of my rescue dog, and it truly helped to ease some of the pain, and led me on to the trilogy with Jack. Kate is an amazing empath and her writing style is so warm and conversational, easy to read and ponder over. A must read for anyone who's grieving a loss of a pet who's a family member.....to know they're simply physically not there but still present.

This was recommended to me in a pet loss support group. After reading it twice and now going through it for the 3rd time with my yellow highlighter pen, I give it the highest rating I can! I am still very much in the grief mode and cry daily. However, with the assist of this magnificent book, from Jack the dog's perspective (as dictated to his Mom), I am slowly coming out of the hole of grief. Things I did not think of before, made sense to me. My own pup would have said these things to me, to help me thru my grief. We had/have a rock solid bond, her and I. I could read her mind thru her emotions, her interaction with me. With the help of Jack the dog..these emotions were put into words that helped my heart. A such, I am now going through this book again and highlighting the parts that 'talk to my heart', so I can re-read those when I need to! I HIGHLY recommend this book (I have not read any of her others yet), the tears still come, but I now 'understand' that circle of love and how it all REALLY works out in the end!

Kate has the words , and the ability to assemble them , to provide comfort to those suffering loss! A totally recommended read for anyone seeking relief from their pain.