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I agree completely with the author's assertion that there are forms of disenfranchised grief our society deems unworthy of validation. I am an animal chaplain who works with people to help them prepare for, cope with and move on after pet loss, and I repeatedly hear of how much harder it is for them to get past the death of a beloved animal companion than the death of some humans in their lives.

While writing and researching my book "Good Grief: Finding Peace After Pet Loss," I heard that these grieving pet owners were forced to bury, deny or rush through their emotions or risk the disdain of those around them that didn't understand.

I agree, too, that losses such as miscarriage are also brushed under the rug, met with trite phrases like, "Oh, you can always try again." I counseled a friend who suffered tremendously after a miscarriage because her grief was minimized by those around her simply because the unborn child never entered the world and thus, to their thinking, never became real.

Thank you for shedding light on this situation. I hope it will bring more understanding and compassion to those who truly need it.