Davina HerbertWhen I was in Grade 8, I took French as one of my languages. I clearly remember our teacher explaining the difference between Au Revoir and Adieu. She said that when you expected to see someone again, you would use Au Revoir. A more permanent type of farewell was Adieu, which literally means ‘to God’. This distinction has stuck with me all these years.
On the 21st of July, 2025 my beautiful De Brucski passed over the Rainbow Bridge. He had not long turned 12 and had been part of our family for 11 years. In so many ways, De Brucksi was a trail blazer. Whilst I have had many dogs, I had never had a male dog before. Also he was a Dalmatian – Great Dane cross, which was a larger breed dog that I had had previously. When I saw his photo on the adoption website, I knew that he was the one that we needed to bring home. The shelter told us that they suspected that he was deaf. Since we are energetic beings and our first language is energy, I didn’t see this as a problem. It turned out not to be a problem for me. De Brucski was always aware of what I was communicating to him – even on those times when he pretended that he didn’t. At times he would play ‘deaf dog’ with me. I would always tell him that didn’t work on me. I knew that he was an energetic being and could understand me. Our relationship deepened and grew and I realised that he was one of my soul dogs. I really believe that he and I had been together before. I would often refer to him as my “Luck Dragon”. If you have seen the movie “Neverending Story”, you will know what I am talking about. There is a character in the film who was big and white and my boy sometimes looked like this. Of course my boy was a shape shifter. Sometimes he would squash himself into a small ball. Other times he would make himself as big as possible. Then there was the regal pasha look that he would adopt when he was reclining on his lounge.
In recent times my boy had developed some tumours. Since I believed that I was too emotionally close to him to be able to help him, I sought help from other professionals for him. The treatments would work for a little while and then not. At the beginning of the year, a holistic vet came into our lives. She helped De Brucski and I. During her first visit, her parting comment was that I needed to open my heart and to use that energy to help De Brucski. “Finally”, I heard De Brucski say. He often complained that I talked at him and not to him. I pondered the words of the vet and spoke to De Brucski about it. I let myself believe that I could help De Brucski. We had fantastic results. So I was surprised recently when another health condition showed itself. This time, I was able to keep him stable by doing energy sessions with him and using treatments recommended by the vet. Yet we were not making improvements. So imagine my surprise one morning when I started to question why I was feeling off. I started to ask myself, what was not in balance in my world. Then I realised that it was De Brucski and that it was his time to go. The shock was immense. I told him that if he needed to go, then I supported his decision. I would of course prefer him to stay, but it was whatever he needed. This was on the Thursday morning. By Monday morning he had deteriorated so rapidly that I knew the time to say ‘au revoir’ was here. When I knew that his time was approaching, I had started to plan how to assist his transition. I decided that if he needed assistance to pass, I wanted it to be at home with his family around him. I had organised for his regular vet to come out on the Wednesday. But on Monday morning, we knew that it had to be that day, since he could no longer walk and was rapidly deteriorating. My husband and I took the day to spend with him. I found a vet that could come out in the afternoon. So all morning, hubby, all the 4 dogs and I sat in front of the fire and spent time together. In the end De Brucski passed at home surrounded by family and in front of his fire – a position that he often loved to lay in. I told him that it was Au Revoir, not Adieu as I knew that we would meet again. Since he has passed, I feel his presence very strongly around me. In fact, I feel him here now as I write. I look forward to when I see him again in a body. Until then I take comfort in the fact that his energy and love have not left me. In fact he says that I listen to him better now and take more guidance from him than I did when he was here in his doggy body.
If you are saying goodbye to a beloved family member, I send you lots of love. It is hard but consider, maybe it is Au Revoir and not Adieu.
Davina supports people grieving the loss of their animal companions. To book a session, use the link below.
Davina is an intuitive animal communicator, grief guide and author who helps people connect more deeply with their animal companions—past and present. She blends energy work, compassion, and spiritual insight to offer heartfelt support during times of transition, healing, and transformation.
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