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alsame

(7,784 posts)
62. I am so sorry. It's so
Sun Jan 26, 2014, 08:16 AM
Jan 2014

hard to say goodbye to out beloved pets. My beloved dog passed in 2012 and my heart still aches for her, I understand the grief you and your husband are feeling.

I want to share this writing with you - the veterinarian gave this to me when I picked up my dog's ashes. I hope it eventually brings you some healing and comfort.


The Fourth Day
by Martin Scot Kosins

If you ever love an animal, there are three days in your life you will always remember.

The first is a day, blessed with happiness, when you bring home your young new friend. You may have spent weeks deciding on a breed. You may have asked numerous opinions of many vets, or done long research in finding a breeder. Or, perhaps in a fleeting moment, you may have just chosen that silly looking mutt in a shelter ... simply because something in its eyes reached your heart.

But when you bring that chosen pet home, and watch it explore, and claim its special place in your hall or front room - and when you feel it brush against you for the first time - it instills a feeling of pure love you will carry with you through the many years to come.

The second day will occur eight or nine or ten years later. It will be a day like any other. Routine and unexceptional. But, for a surprising instant, you will look at your longtime friend and see age where you once saw youth. You will see slow deliberate steps where you once saw energy. And you will see sleep where you once saw activity. So you will begin to adjust your friend's diet - and you may add a pill or two to her food. And you will feel a growing fear deep within yourself, which bodes of a coming emptiness.

And you will feel this uneasy feeling, on and off, until the third day finally arrives.

And on this day - if your friend has not decided for you, then you will be faced with making a decision of your own - on behalf of your lifelong friend, and with the guidance of your own deepest Spirit.

But whichever way your friend eventually leaves you - you will feel as alone as a single star in the dark night sky.
If you are wise, you will let the tears flow as freely and as often as they must. And if you are typical, you will find that not many in your circle of family or human friends will be able to understand the depth of your grief, or comfort you.

But if you are true to the love of the pet you cherished through the many joy filled years, you may find that a soul - a bit smaller in size than your own - seems to walk with you, at times, during the lonely days to come.
And at moments when you least expect anything out of the ordinary to happen, you may feel something brush against your leg - very very lightly. And looking down at the place where your dear, perhaps dearest, friend used to lay, you will remember those three significant days.

The memory will most likely be painful, and leave an ache in your heart. As time passes the ache will come and go as if it has a life of its own. You will both reject it and embrace it, and it may confuse you. If you reject it, it will depress you. If you embrace it, it will deepen you. Either way, it will still be an ache.

But there will be, I assure you, a fourth day when - along with the memory of your pet - and piercing through the heaviness in your heart, there will come a realization that belongs only to you. It will be as unique and strong as our relationship with each animal we have loved, and lost.

This realization takes the form of a Living Love - like the heavenly scent of a rose that remains after the petals have wilted, this Love will remain and grow - and be there for us to remember.

It is a Love we have earned.

It is the legacy our pets leave us when they go - And it is a gift we may keep with us as long as we live.
It is a Love which is ours alone - And until we ourselves leave, perhaps to join our Beloved Pets - It is a Love that we will always possess.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

My precious doggie passed today. [View all] MoonRiver Jan 2014 OP
We put our Rusty down several years ago rustydog Jan 2014 #1
Thank you, and I am sorry for the loss of your Rusty. It's hard when one loves an animal so much. MoonRiver Jan 2014 #5
I'm sorry. The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2014 #2
I'm so sorry TDale313 Jan 2014 #3
It sucks saying goodbye to any loved ones...sorry for your loss n/t shedevil69taz Jan 2014 #4
I'm so sorry. :( polly7 Jan 2014 #6
Thank you all. MoonRiver Jan 2014 #7
truly sorry to hear that. Whisp Jan 2014 #8
So sorry to hear... defacto7 Jan 2014 #9
I am so sorry for your loss. Curmudgeoness Jan 2014 #10
Yes, that gives us comfort. MoonRiver Jan 2014 #12
I'm so very sorry. LisaLynne Jan 2014 #11
It seems she waited for you before she said goodby. Cleita Jan 2014 #13
. warrior1 Jan 2014 #14
Losing a friend is never easy. stevil Jan 2014 #15
Very sorry for your loss. greytdemocrat Jan 2014 #16
Wishing your hearts healing mahina Jan 2014 #17
I'm so sorry. It's so sad to lose a precious pet ... sabrina 1 Jan 2014 #18
Sorry for your loss mokawanis Jan 2014 #19
Very sorry... cyberswede Jan 2014 #20
I'm truly very sorry GP6971 Jan 2014 #21
I'm so sorry. We lost our dog last month. It still hurts. liberal_at_heart Jan 2014 #22
so sorry for your loss. DesertFlower Jan 2014 #23
I'm so sorry, MoonRiver. pacalo Jan 2014 #24
Lost our dog in February nradisic Jan 2014 #25
So, so sorry Samantha Jan 2014 #26
I'm so very sorry! *hugs* GreenPartyVoter Jan 2014 #27
So Sorry! dballance Jan 2014 #28
So sorry for your pain and loss montanacowboy Jan 2014 #29
So sorry for your loss. Stonepounder Jan 2014 #30
Yes....they will be re-united. They were meant for each other and never will part. My shadow, glinda Jan 2014 #36
I'm so sorry - KT2000 Jan 2014 #31
so very sorry for your loss, moonriver. my heart goes out to you and your husband--losing our niyad Jan 2014 #32
My condolences to you, moonriver. truedelphi Jan 2014 #33
I'm so sorry for your loss. onestepforward Jan 2014 #34
This is very sad... Useless in FL Jan 2014 #35
I'm so sorry, MoonRiver senseandsensibility Jan 2014 #37
MoonRiver, you have all of my deepest sympathies... countryjake Jan 2014 #38
Peace be with you Blue Owl Jan 2014 #39
So sorry for your loss, MoonRiver mike dub Jan 2014 #40
I'm so sorry for your loss. Lugnut Jan 2014 #41
I'm sorry for your loss. Beacool Jan 2014 #42
Please accept my heartfelt condolences Iwillnevergiveup Jan 2014 #43
From another dog lover who has lost a beloved pet.... northoftheborder Jan 2014 #44
So sorry for your loss. adirondacker Jan 2014 #45
I'm so sorry. Blue_In_AK Jan 2014 #46
Sad and yet... nolabear Jan 2014 #47
I'm so sorry for your loss.. virgdem Jan 2014 #48
I'm so sorry to hear this azurnoir Jan 2014 #49
A million hugs to your family…this pain is so sad... Tikki Jan 2014 #50
Sincere condolences from billh58 Jan 2014 #51
she waited for you to say goodby because the greatest love roguevalley Jan 2014 #52
"I hear dog toenails on my wood floors sometimes." liberal_at_heart Jan 2014 #53
they are there to comfort you. know roguevalley Jan 2014 #85
I am so sorry, MoonRiver. loudsue Jan 2014 #54
So Sorry The Roux Comes First Jan 2014 #55
So very sorry for the loss of your precious pooch MoonRiver democratisphere Jan 2014 #56
... Mnemosyne Jan 2014 #57
... Skittles Jan 2014 #58
so much love -- so much love orleans Jan 2014 #59
I know what you're going through malaise Jan 2014 #60
Thomas and I offer our deepest condolences vt_native Jan 2014 #61
I am so sorry. It's so alsame Jan 2014 #62
Alsame, thank you so much for that... MoonRiver Jan 2014 #94
That's beautiful nikto Jan 2014 #118
Thanks to all of my dear DU friends. MoonRiver Jan 2014 #63
My condolences CanonRay Jan 2014 #64
My dog will be 15 in March Gothmog Jan 2014 #65
It's a tough thing. longship Jan 2014 #66
wow...so sorry backwoodsbob Jan 2014 #67
I'm so sorry for your loss... magical thyme Jan 2014 #68
Sigh..... Are_grits_groceries Jan 2014 #69
hugs Demonaut Jan 2014 #70
dear, dear Moonriver, I send you my love and thoughts. It is so hard cali Jan 2014 #71
She died in your arms. Greybnk48 Jan 2014 #72
Did she have a name? GeorgeGist Jan 2014 #73
Hugs. Scuba Jan 2014 #74
I'm so sorry for your loss, so bloody sad but arthritisR_US Jan 2014 #75
Ohhhh! I'm so so sorry, sweetie. tblue Jan 2014 #76
I'm so sorry. LWolf Jan 2014 #77
I am so sorry for the loss of your beautiful sweet dog.. lucca18 Jan 2014 #78
I'm so sorry for your loss swilton Jan 2014 #79
Sorry to hear this. She was lucky to have such a nice long life with you. nt valerief Jan 2014 #80
Sorry for your loss. tazkcmo Jan 2014 #81
She waited for you to be there YarnAddict Jan 2014 #82
So sorry for your loss LiberalEsto Jan 2014 #83
I am so Sorry Nightowl Jan 2014 #84
No one contributes so much good to the world as our devoted pets. spooky3 Jan 2014 #86
I am so sorry to hear this, Lifelong Protester Jan 2014 #87
((Hugs)) tosh Jan 2014 #88
Sorry for your loss.. Stuart G Jan 2014 #89
I am so sorry to know you're dealing with this. Definitely one of life's toughest blows. classof56 Jan 2014 #90
Beautiful story MoonRiver Jan 2014 #95
. Liberal_in_LA Jan 2014 #91
I'm so sorry napkinz Jan 2014 #92
Hugs TheKentuckian Jan 2014 #93
I am so sorry for your loss, MoonRiver. gademocrat7 Jan 2014 #96
I'm so sorry for your loss. GigiMommy Jan 2014 #97
_ In_The_Wind Jan 2014 #98
I am so sorry for your loss. hrmjustin Jan 2014 #99
Deepest sympathies restorefreedom Jan 2014 #100
You were strong for her right to the end. yellerpup Jan 2014 #101
I am so sorry. Liberal Jesus Freak Jan 2014 #102
I am so sorry, it is raw indeed nadinbrzezinski Jan 2014 #103
Hugs sellitman Jan 2014 #104
I am so very sorry LibertyLover Jan 2014 #105
I'm so sorry for your loss. CFLDem Jan 2014 #106
Oh lord, I've gone through that. My sympathies. Eleanors38 Jan 2014 #107
I'm sorry to hear this. kairos12 Jan 2014 #108
gentle hugs to you, MoonRiver BlancheSplanchnik Jan 2014 #109
deepest condolences G_j Jan 2014 #110
I am very sorry. She was so lucky to have her loved ones with her. Walk away Jan 2014 #111
I'm glad that you were able to be here for her at the end. bearssoapbox Jan 2014 #112
I am so sorry. 15 days ago, lost our dog. Hard to come home, Justice Jan 2014 #113
Oh no. I am so sorry. MoonRiver Jan 2014 #119
Oh my dear MoonRiver, I send you and your doggie and your family my love and my tears. I just lost DesertDiamond Jan 2014 #114
DesertDiamond, I felt her tonight! MoonRiver Jan 2014 #120
MoonRiver, I'm so sorry, I only just saw your post! I am so happy you can feel her there with you!!! DesertDiamond May 2014 #128
Your Beloved Pet Was Lucky to bkanderson76 Jan 2014 #115
My deepest sympathy to you for your loss, MoonRiver. nt cry baby Jan 2014 #116
Ohhhh, I'm so sorry! frogmarch Jan 2014 #117
Sorry for your loss. n/t DeSwiss Jan 2014 #121
I am so sorry for your loss Liberalynn Jan 2014 #122
I'm so sorry. NealK Jan 2014 #123
So sorry, our Frodo died Dec. 2, two days before Nelson Mandela died WHEN CRABS ROAR Jan 2014 #124
My deepest condolences Joe Shlabotnik Jan 2014 #125
Sorry for your loss, MoonRiver complain jane Jan 2014 #126
I'm so very sorry for your loss. sinkingfeeling Jan 2014 #127
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