This was a long, difficult semester; eight classes at three schools full of students who are still adjusting to life after the pandemic. The classes, grading, and committee work masked some of my grief. At one point in September, I started to think that I was really healing at last. Then I had a bad day in the middle of October. Masking isn’t real progress. This season marks the anniversary of Bella’s cancer and decline, and I already know that this will be a hard break. This time last year, we learned that the veterinary oncologist couldn’t see Bella until the last week in January, dashing our one slim hope…