Sunday, February 14, 2010

Saying Goodbye

On Monday February 8th my dad took off work so that we could bury Cocoa. It took my dad and my me a long time to dig a grave because the ground was so frozen. We put Cocoa's body in a wooden box that my grandpa had made just for him. As my dad and I were digging the grave my sister just sat with the box in her tiny lap and cried, while Buddy laid by my sisters feet and just whimpered. Finally my dad and I had dug the grave deep enough so Cocoa would have a good resting place.

We then walked back up to my grandparents house so we could get my mom and help my sister out so she could bury her puppy properly. My grandparents own a farm out in Granville and by there barn they have a pet cemetery for all of our families pets that have passed away. Once I was back into the house I walked over to my sister and told her that it was time. She leaned over and hugged me and started crying a whole new set of tears. Seeing her this way and knowing how much that puppy meant to her made me cry right along with her. I kept wondering what kind of person runs over a dog and just keeps on driving. I wondered if maybe it would have made a difference in the persons heart if he or she would have known that the puppy belonged to a sick dying little girl. None of that mattered though because what had been done was done and nothing could ever change that.

After I got my sister calmed down a little I asked her if she was ready, and she nodded yes so I helped get her coat, boots, gloves, and scarf on. When everyone was bundled up we all started to walk while my dad carried my sister to the place where the grave awaited Cocoa. Seeing this hole in the ground made a lump grow in my throat but I new that I needed to be strong for my sister who's heart had already been hurt more than enough times for a girl her age.

Once we arrived at the grave I read a poem called Rainbow Bridge, it's a poem for the animals that we have lost. After I finished reading the poem my sister said a few words and then placed Cocoa in his grave. My dad and Papaw finished filling in the hole and we all started back to the house. When we got back to the house my sister asked where Buddy was, and I looked out the window and saw Buddy just laying down my Cocoa's grave. Seeing Buddy and my little sister was one of the saddest things that I have had to see. I hope to never see anything this sad again, because it truly does hurt your heart.


3 comments:

  1. I hate when people or animals dye. I hate going to funerals and when the person gets buried it is really sad. My grandfather died a year ago. His funeral was really sad because our family is really close. I was extremely close to my grandfather. We had a lot of memories and those memories make these times hard. But good to remember them cause after he was buried we talked a lot about the time with him. These memories made us cry a little more but laugh a whole lot more. I just hate it when people dye. it is really sad.

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  2. That is a very sad story. I too have lost a few animals due to people hitting them with cars. I've lost two cats from people not even caring and just moving along. Your story brings back memories of when me and my father or me and my mother burying our pets that we love. It is a very hard thing to deal with but all you can do is remember the good times with them and try to move on. Sorry for your and your families loss.

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  3. Ren--

    I wish I could tell you that you'll never know such sadness again, but the sadness that comes with loss is only possible because we allow ourselves to become so attached to and love other people and, yes, even pets so much. Unfortunately, that is the bargain. However, it helps me in times like these to remember the bigger loss that I would have in my life had I not allowed myself to become attached.

    I lost a close friend last April to lymphoma. At 33, he was way too young to pass away. The other night, my wife discovered our old phone with answering machine that we had packed away when we moved from Chicago over four years ago. We have had voicemail since we came out, so there was no need for the machine. There were still thirteen or so messages that we never had the heart to erase because we found them funny or endearing. Three were left by my now-gone friend, and though it hurt my heart to hear his voice again, that hurt was soon overcome with laughter, pride, and fond memories.

    I hope that you will be able to let the good stuff hold sway over your heart sooner rather than later.

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