I came across an important passage in Tina Louise Spalding’s book, “A Year of Forgiveness – A Course in Miracles Lessons with commentary from Jesus,”, kindle edition. In the commentary on Lesson 248 entitled, “Whatever suffers is not part of me,” speaking about the death of people and pets,Jesus said:

“When you believe in bodies, when you worship bodies, and when you grieve over the loss of bodies, then you are, by your actions, demonstrating that you think people or other beings such as your pets, were their bodies, and they are not. They are the eternal connection you have with them, the beautiful memories you have of them and the beautiful communications you can have with them…” 

A bit further on in the commentary we read something very uplifting: “…They are not in the grave. They are with you…They are forever close to you. When you leave your body, they will meet you. They have not gone anywhere; they are merely a breath away.” We need to try to remember that whenever we are faced with the loss of a loved one. They live on! Life is eternal!

Jesus also points out in that commentary that suffering is a result of our disconnection from the truth, from love. As we make progress with our forgiveness practice we will suffer less and less. It is, I suppose, because we will have a greater understanding about the illusory nature of this world, which is really just a mental projection, created in error by our minds at the time of the seeming separation from God. Throughout A Course in Miracles (ACIM) we are reminded that we have not actually separated from God at all, we just believe we have. And one of the key teachings of ACIM is Lesson 201: “I am not a body. I am free. For I am still as God created me.” God created us as eternal spiritual beings and however much we dream, we remain spiritual beings who have eternal life. Upon awakening from the dream, we are told, we will understand and experience this.