Julie, at the beginning of the novel, has recently suffered through the loss of her husband. He has, however, provided her with Singer, a Great Dane, who arrived unexpectedly as a gift on Christmas Eve. Would this have helped you heal in the same situation, or would it have had the opposite effect? Is there anything else her deceased husband could have given her that would have meant more? In chapter one, the novel opens four years later. Julie has moved on with her life, at least in part. Is she really doing okay, or is it more of an act? Is four years long enough to grieve, or is it too long?
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Guardian Question Two
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I don't know that an animal would help me...since I have 6 cats now. But being she was alone it did help fill that space.
Grieving time for everyone is different but in some cases it might take much less and in mine it would take much more. I don't think she initially was doing okay but she was ready to give it a try.
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.... I couldn't have made it through my illness in 2005 without Abby..... I imagine if something ever happened to Hubbs, again, she would be my "reason" to go on......
....a lot can happen in four years....I give her credit for being ready to try and find love again..... she was only 29 - young! She still has plenty of time to find love and start a family.......
Posted 4 months ago by AbbigaleViolet #
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....I agree Alicia, I wouldn't need an additional animal - but Julie didn't have any.... I think Singer was the purfect gift!
Posted 4 months ago by AbbigaleViolet #
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Since Jim knew he was dying, he probably thought long and hard about what Julie would need when he was gone. A companion; a protector. He wanted her to find love again, but knew it might take a while, so it would seem logical to get her a big dog who would be a companion to her in the raw times following his death, and perhaps he felt a big dog would also protect her in her home. Pets are wonderful therapy when it comes to grief; they listen to you and don't offer their opinions or give unsolicited advice.
You sort of move on with your life, but the hole in your heart does not heal. With time, the pain dulls a bit, but a part of grief is showing the outside world that you are ok despite the pain. Julie was never truly over Jim; Mike knew that and accepted it.Posted 4 months ago by JoanfromNewJersey #
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I loved Singer. I think that Jim knew exactly what she needed and I found it sweet that Jim would think of that before the fact. I think, when it comes to grieving, everyone has their own time line for them. Also, I think she grieved so long because she was in the same house, same bed, same, everything. In this context, there was nothing more perfect than Singer.
Posted 4 months ago by AnimalLuvr82 #
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My Molly lost her kitty mommy when she was 4 weeks old. She needed me. I had lost my youngest brother (age 28) in an auto accident a couple of months before that and Molly's coming into my life helped me survive that time. My mothers voice always reflected her terrible grief at that time and it was after she got a German Shepherd puppy it seemed that she started to heal. Maybe David brought these pets into our life. Singer was a great character. Jim seemed to know Julie really well I think he got her exactly the right thing.
Posted 4 months ago by Cat talk rules #
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