to every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die.
(eccles. 3:1)
(the byrds, originally put to melody by pete seeger, who added the last line)
a! elbereth gilthoniel!
silivren penna miriel
o menel aglar elenath,
gilthoniel, a! elbereth!
we still remember, we who dwell
in this far land beneath the trees
the starlight on the western seas.
still round the corner there may wait
a new road or a secret gate;
and though i oft have passed them by,
a day will come at last when i
shall take the hidden paths that run
west of the moon, east of the sun.
to the sea! to the sea! the white gulls are crying,
the wind is blowing, and the white foam is flying.
west, west away, the round sun is falling.
grey ship, grey ship, do you hear them calling,
the voices of my people that have gone before me?
i will leave, i will leave the woods that bore me;
for our days are ending and our years failing.
i will pass the wide waters lonely sailing.
long are the waves on the last shore falling.
sweet are the voices in the lost isle calling,
in eressea, in elvenhome that no man can discover,
where the leaves fall not: land of my people for ever!
(tolkien)
(the girls read these poems with us just before we took jack to our vet).
(the girls read these poems with us just before we took jack to our vet).
Teary eyed at this end. I know it was for the best but it hurts doesn't it? I am so glad that the you tube video cheered you up.
ReplyDeleteBig hugs
San and all xxx
thank you san :)
DeleteThis is almost spooky. Our neighbor and friend called last night and we discussed at length the death of her cat who just died of old age and kidney failure. She was traumatized she said because the death was so hard to watch. She buried him down at the big river in the woods. After talking to her we talked about other animals that had died, including pets. And now I find your post.
ReplyDeleteMay memories of Jack's life comfort you during this time.
Thanks so much, Eva. I was so torn with trying to decide whether we should let him go without interference, but he was never going! He just hung on. He was really such a tough old dog. I'm so glad that we finally took him in. I realize now how uncomfortable he really, probably, was. I feel for your friend. It is really painful to watch an animal (or a loved one!) pass through. I watched Xena go. It was really sad. She went on her own.
DeleteExcept a dying hedgehog, I have never witnessed the death of an animal. I don't know how it would be if Julius was at the end of his life. I think when you are older it might be easier to let go of a pet, but I am not sure. I have buried many dead mice and birds as a child and cried a lot.
Delete(sigh). I don't think it is. One feels even more responsible as an adult.
DeleteThat is probably true, maybe because you know yourself that death is not to be escaped. The older you get the more aware you become.
Delete