As many of you have read, I had to have Saga put down two weeks ago. She was aging, and her quality of life was deteriorating.
This past week, I got her ashes back from the vet and have been toying with what to do with them. In the end, I decided to talk them out to a park that she particularly liked (perhaps because it was one of the few places that I would let her run off-lead and explore) and spread them as the sun was setting.
It was a lovely evening, and it gave me a chance to spend one more evening "with her" in one of the places she really enjoyed.
I was surprised at how compact the box with her ashes was, and (although I probably shouldn't have been) was surprised to see that her dog tags were more-or-less intact; they were a bit warped and melted, but they were clearly recognizable as the bone that had had our address on it and the heart that had told the world that she was current on her inoculations.
Once I had the container opened, I opened the bag ever so slightly, and walked along one of the paths we used to take, spreading a fine powering along the way. Once again, this is "her" park!
I know that it is the epitome of personification and wishful thinking to say that she would have liked the sentiment. But, I know she liked it there, and even if there is no meaning to it beyond giving me a sense of peace and closure, I am glad that I had the opportunity to take time alone with her in my thoughts and us in one of her special places.
Standing on a small rise, I threw the tags as hard and as far as I could in a line perpendicular to the path. The're lost somewhere in the tall buffalo grasses to serve as a hidden memorial to my dear little one. I hope that if ever anyone comes across them, they will leave them to rust away and return to the soils.
Wherever you are today, I wish you peace with your loved ones or at least with their memories.
Don Bergquist - June 29, 2014 - Lakewood, Colorado, USA
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| Saga Roo 1998 - 2014 Rest In Peace |
1 comment:
That's truly beautiful, Don. Like you, I think she would be touched at having the time set aside for her. Then she'd tilt her head sideways as if to say,"Okay, enough already. Let's play!" And off she'd go.
Becky
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