Just Finished Burying My Best Friend

[theweakerbrother]

I can't prove this story but I heard it in college. C. S. Lewis was (is?) an apologist and had an epic dry sense of humour and wit about him. He had time for all sincere questions and little time for stupid or sarcastic ones.

A little boy wrote to him who severely missed his dog who had also ceased to be. C.S. Lewis was severely touched by the letter and replied to the little boy and read his response over the airwaves in Britain. What did he say? Words of encouragement and sympathy to the child and a phrase I've never forgotten since it was quoted to me.

The boy asked if his dog was going to heaven and Lewis replied something like this: "If heaven is not heaven without your dog, then surely he will be there."

Hang in there...

 

[Bigum1969]

Sorry Joe.

 

[Jerry]

I hate to hear that.

I'm sorry about your loss... It really sucks to lose such a beloved member of the family.

 

[Andy219]

BTDT, sucks royally.

"Dogs lives are too short, their only fault really." [FONT=georgia, bookman old style, palatino linotype, book antiqua, palatino, trebuchet ms, helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, avante garde, century gothic, comic sans ms, times, times new roman, serif]Agnes Sligh Turnbull[/FONT]

[FONT=georgia, bookman old style, palatino linotype, book antiqua, palatino, trebuchet ms, helvetica, garamond, sans-serif, arial, verdana, avante garde, century gothic, comic sans ms, times, times new roman, serif]This one may help:[/FONT]

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body begins to quiver. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
Author unknown...

Now Im sitting hear crying, thanks. haha

 

[Andy219]

I got a call to get over to my parent's house as soon as possible; if any of you remember Zeus is 100 in dog years and couldn't make it up and down my stairs.

I guess he kept falling over and was having trouble breathing. They were going to take him to the vet, but they wanted me to see him first...I didn't get there in time.

I knew the time was coming soon and I knew it was going to be hard, but I had no idea it would be this hard...14 years is a long time.

I'm going to bed now.




R.I.P. Zeus, you have no idea how much you are going to be missed.

Sorry for your loss, I know how hard it can be.

 

[Muddy_Ford]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[BloodEclipse]

I'm sad with you Joe. I have lost too many pets, but they are always a part of us.
You will always look back and have nice moments when he is in your thoughts. Even when they are gone they can still make us smile.

 

[Benny]

I'm sad with you Joe. I have lost too many pets, but they are always a part of us.
You will always look back and have nice moments when he is in your thoughts. Even when they are gone they can still make us smile.

I'm really hoping this is the case.

Zeus is my first "real" dog, as in I had two dogs before him...Cooter(feel free to laugh at the name; I named him and I'm sure my Dad got a good laugh out of it too. Cooter(peekapoo) got hit by a car when I as 7. It was devastating at the time.

Corky(****zu) ran away.

I've had Zeus since I was 13-14. He's been the most loyal dog anyone could ever ask for(yeah, join the club, right?).

Anyway, I feel like telling a few crazy stories about my buddy, so bare with me. If you get bored easily, don't bother reading.

1. This is the first and least craziest story, but I get a kick out of it everytime I think about it...

Zeus is about 3 at the time. I had recently gotten my licence. My Dad is a pipefitter that leaves for work around 4 AM and my Mom is in sales and is constantly traveling. At the time, I was responsible for getting my sister to school and my brother to the sitter.

I wake up late, get my bro and sis ready and forget to feed Zeus...I get home from school and Zeus is at the front door waiting for me. He had jumped up on the kitchen counter, opened up one of the cabinets, got a can of chicken out and using his K9s, precisely perforated the can all the way around the top and ate the chicken out...I couldn't even be mad at him because he was so proud about it.

2. When Zeus was around 4-5, he got curious/mischievous and ran away. He was gone for around a day and a half...Since he'd never done this before, I thought he was gone forever. I got out of school, pulled into the driveway and he's sitting on the front porch. He looked scared less. I walk up and scratch under his jaw, look at my hands and they are covered in blood...Come to find out, he was ran over by a school bus that one of my sister's friends were on. He got his stitches and was good to go.

3. Zeus is about 7 at this point. My uncle, who used to live around 100 or so yards from my parent's house, separated by a main road, would call Zeus over and they'd hang out. His main recreational area with his big screen and what not was upstairs, about 25 feet off the ground from the windows(he has bay windows). Long story short, Zeus was chilling on the couch with my uncle and my Mom called for him(Zeus)...Without thinking, Zeus jumped out the window...With pretty busy traffic, Zeus hit the road running, dodging traffic like he knew what he was doing(this is my uncle's story and he's not a BSer).



OK, I'm done rambling now.

 

[BloodEclipse]

I'm really hoping this is the case.

Zeus is my first "real" dog, as in I had two dogs before him...Cooter(feel free to laugh at the name; I named him and I'm sure my Dad got a good laugh out of it too. Cooter(peekapoo) got hit by a car when I as 7. It was devastating at the time.

Corky(****zu) ran away.

I've had Zeus since I was 13-14. He's been the most loyal dog anyone could ever ask for(yeah, join the club, right?).

Anyway, I feel like telling a few crazy stories about my buddy, so bare with me. If you get bored easily, don't bother reading.

1. This is the first and least craziest story, but I get a kick out of it everytime I think about it...

Zeus is about 3 at the time. I had recently gotten my licence. My Dad is a pipefitter that leaves for work around 4 AM and my Mom is in sales and is constantly traveling. At the time, I was responsible for getting my sister to school and my brother to the sitter.

I wake up late, get my bro and sis ready and forget to feed Zeus...I get home from school and Zeus is at the front door waiting for me. He had jumped up on the kitchen counter, opened up one of the cabinets, got a can of chicken out and using his K9s, precisely perforated the can all the way around the top and ate the chicken out...I couldn't even be mad at him because he was so proud about it.

2. When Zeus was around 4-5, he got curious/mischievous and ran away. He was gone for around a day and a half...Since he'd never done this before, I thought he was gone forever. I got out of school, pulled into the driveway and he's sitting on the front porch. He looked scared less. I walk up and scratch under his jaw, look at my hands and they are covered in blood...Come to find out, he was ran over by a school bus that one of my sister's friends were on. He got his stitches and was good to go.

3. Zeus is about 7 at this point. My uncle, who used to live around 100 or so yards from my parent's house, separated by a main road, would call Zeus over and they'd hang out. His main recreational area with his big screen and what not was upstairs, about 25 feet off the ground from the windows(he has bay windows). Long story short, Zeus was chilling on the couch with my uncle and my Mom called for him(Zeus)...Without thinking, Zeus jumped out the window...With pretty busy traffic, Zeus hit the road running, dodging traffic like he knew what he was doing(this is my uncle's story and he's not a BSer).



OK, I'm done rambling now.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Jerry]

Even when they are gone they can still make us smile.

I'm really hoping this is the case.

It is... I still think back at some of the crazy stories from my blue heeler mut I grew up with. She passed a little more than two years ago, the day before I was to come home for Thanksgiving break my sophomore year of school. I still get chuckle from some of her/our antics when we were young and I'm still in awe at how she was able to take a copperhead bite to the face, kept fighting it until I told her to get back to the house, and lived to tell the tale...

OK, I'm done rambling now.

It's your thread... Ramble away. I enjoyed the stories... He sounded like one hell of a dog.

 

[stilllearning09]

I've had Zeus since I was 13-14. He's been the most loyal dog anyone could ever ask for(yeah, join the club, right?).

That's what made him so special to you - the unconditional love a of a devoted companion. I'm glad you shared your stories, as well. My 14 year old "all American" got a little more attention last night after reading your thread.

 

[Timjoebillybob]

Sorry for your loss

 

[peloe16]

sorry to hear about Zeus. I cant even imagine what i will do when my buddy has to go.

 

[cornfused]

Sorry for your loss, I also know how you feel.

 

[evansvillethompsongunner]

My cat is at least 17, but could well be older given that he was already full-grown when we got him. When he goes, part of me will go with him.

Condolences.

 

[paddling_man]

I'm sorry to hear that, Joe.

 

[Bill of Rights]

Bazooka,

My thoughts are with you. I know as do so many of us how the loss of a four-legged family member can rip you apart. It's a horrible, indescribable feeling that no one who has not shared that love can come close to understanding. Yes, I said that you have to have shared that love; See, anyone who owns a dog knows what it is to receive that kind of love... When you can give even some of it back to them, that's a mark of someone special.

I know the Rainbow Bridge story is a tearjerker. I am of the belief that it is so not because it is sad... It's certainly not! but because we are grieving.. because we know that while our friends, our family members such as Zeus are there and are no longer hurting but are once again young, vibrant, and healthy, and for that we are happy, but we are at the same time sad that we can't be a part of that with them, sometimes not for many, many years. We are not sad for them, we are sad for ourselves. We don't know how we're going to go on when those parts of our lives that they filled are no longer filled except with memories. I cried like a baby when I had to put my shepherd down. I'm going to again (hopefully many years from now) when I have to do the same for my mastiff.
The thing about Rainbow Bridge, though, is hope. Rather than sadness because we've reached an ending, we have hope, because we have something to look forward to. There are lots of stories out there about how it's not Heaven if our dogs are not there... I think the reason there's a place for the dogs on THIS side of Rainbow Bridge is that it's not Heaven for THEM unless we're there with them. Their lives are so short...but they never have regrets. They live their lives to the fullest... they cram every second of living that will fit into their lives.. and then they go somewhere to wait for the person who will make their eternity whole for them.

My advice? Don't let Rainbow Bridge make you sad. Be happy for Zeus. Know that he's playing and content... and he'll be waiting, years from now, when you show up to cross with him. Celebrate his memory... Remember the happy times. The sad ones now will slip away in time. You won't stop missing him, but the missing becomes bearable after a while.

Rest in peace, Zeus.

Blessings,
Bill

 

[dburkhead]

Bazooka,

My thoughts are with you. I know as do so many of us how the loss of a four-legged family member can rip you apart. It's a horrible, indescribable feeling that no one who has not shared that love can come close to understanding. Yes, I said that you have to have shared that love; See, anyone who owns a dog knows what it is to receive that kind of love... When you can give even some of it back to them, that's a mark of someone special.

I know the Rainbow Bridge story is a tearjerker. I am of the belief that it is so not because it is sad... It's certainly not! but because we are grieving.. because we know that while our friends, our family members such as Zeus are there and are no longer hurting but are once again young, vibrant, and healthy, and for that we are happy, but we are at the same time sad that we can't be a part of that with them, sometimes not for many, many years. We are not sad for them, we are sad for ourselves. We don't know how we're going to go on when those parts of our lives that they filled are no longer filled except with memories. I cried like a baby when I had to put my shepherd down. I'm going to again (hopefully many years from now) when I have to do the same for my mastiff.
The thing about Rainbow Bridge, though, is hope. Rather than sadness because we've reached an ending, we have hope, because we have something to look forward to. There are lots of stories out there about how it's not Heaven if our dogs are not there... I think the reason there's a place for the dogs on THIS side of Rainbow Bridge is that it's not Heaven for THEM unless we're there with them. Their lives are so short...but they never have regrets. They live their lives to the fullest... they cram every second of living that will fit into their lives.. and then they go somewhere to wait for the person who will make their eternity whole for them.

My advice? Don't let Rainbow Bridge make you sad. Be happy for Zeus. Know that he's playing and content... and he'll be waiting, years from now, when you show up to cross with him. Celebrate his memory... Remember the happy times. The sad ones now will slip away in time. You won't stop missing him, but the missing becomes bearable after a while.

Rest in peace, Zeus.

Blessings,
Bill

Mercedes Lackey's song "Herald's Lament" (about one person's mourning the death of a friend) particularly the last verse, covers why people mourn pretty well, IMO:

A hand to aid along the road-
A laugh to lighten any load-
A place to bring a burdened heart
And heal the ache of sorrow's dart-
Who'd willing share in joy or tears
And help to ease the darkest fears
And my soul like his own defend-
And all because he was my friend.

No grave could hold so free a soul.
I see him in the frisking foal-
I hear him laughing on the breeze
That stirs the very tops of trees.
He soars with falcons on the wing-
He is the song that nightbirds sing.
Death never dared him captive keep.
He lies not there. He does not sleep.

But-there is silence at my side
That haunts the place he used to ride.
And my Companion can't allay
The loss that I sustained this day.
How bleak the future now has grown
Since I must face it all alone.
My road is weary, dark and steep-
And it is for myself I weep.

 

[DragonGunner]

Sorry to hear, I can relate...years ago when by brother got ready to go
to Nam, Dad got be a black cocker spanniel, the best huntin dog that was,
an my best friend....She would fight with muskrats, groundhogs an coons, an
I often had to run help her, she would fight to the death an often came out
bloody, she just wouldn't quit!!! Years later I went into the Army an when I came
back from basic, she was a different dog, she aged rapidly while I was gone, an
looked so sad, I swear she had tears in her eyes as she slowly came to me. A few
months later Dad called an said she got into it with a big groundhog in the swamp
an it got her jugler an she bled out. He killed the groundhog but got there too late.
I felt guilt that I had always been there, an this time I wasn't...I was hardcore Infantry...but cried for 3 days. She was 77 in dog years, an her name was "Peppy".
Hang in there.

 

[HeftyLefty39]

very sorry to hear about your good buddy passing...we love our dogs!