From memory, through tears.
The Power of the Dog
There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.
Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie–
Perfect passsion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart to a dog to tear.
When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet’s unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find–it’s your own affair–
But … you’ve given your heart to a dog to tear.
When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!)
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone–wherever it goes–for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a dog to tear.
We’ve sorrow enough in the natural way,
When it comes to burying Christian clay.
Our loves are not given, but only lent,
At compound interest of cent per cent.
Though it is not always the case, I believe,
That the longer we’ve kept ’em, the more do we grieve:
For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-term loan is as bad as a long–
So why in–Heaven (before we are there)
Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?
Rudyard Kipling
If you pray, please pray for me today.
36 comments Og | Uncategorized
Done. My condolences.
Sorry for your dogs passing. They are magnificent creatures of his will.
That is very hard. My prayers and condolences, Og.
My condolences.
You have both my prayers & tears. I lost my Barney, just shy of 15 yrs old, a bit over a year ago & some days (like now) the tears come. They are special creatures.
So sorry. They stay too short a time and take a piece of us with us when they go.
My prayers for you and your family, brother.
When you can, maybe tell us his story.
Would that I could help bear your pain.
Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX
Prayers going out.
My condolences Og.
My Heaven will ever Heaven be, unless my dogs (and cats) are there to welcome me. (Parentheses mine.)
Or as Billy Graham said: “God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he’ll be there.”
Sad news. Prayers sent.
Hug y’alls doggies for me today folks.
George Graham Vest;
Gentlemen of the jury: The best friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has, he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it the most. A man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads. The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog.
Gentlemen of the jury: A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.
If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against danger, to fight against his enemies, and when the last scene of all comes, and death takes the master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death.
Their stay so short; yet each individual so unique their presence lingers long: our pup.
Max was your sweet boy and I am so sorry he is gone. At the same time I am so grateful he did not suffer much, I had known he was not in perfect health and that watching and waiting time is so hard on the human heart.
You will see him again when we are all gathered together, none of us would consider it Heaven without the fur-covered children of our hearts.
Thinking of you and yours on this sad day.
Jenny
So sorry. Done.
I’m very sorry to read about this, Og. There are no words that can ease the pain, but I hope a cyber-hug will help.
Done and done.
Lord, hold this man close today. Help him to temper his grief and sorrow with past joys, remembered.
Amen
My condolences to you and your family on your loss.
I just about started crying myself when I realized what this post was about. Mrs. Fungus and I send our condolences.
As a lifetime dog guy, I know what you’re going through and I’m sorry. It hurts and there’s no getting past that. Just keep the good times in mind. I’m sure that there were many.
Near this spot lie the remains of one who possessed beauty without vanity, strength without insolence, courage without ferocity, and all of Man’s virtues with none of his vices.”
– Lord Byron
We see in their eyes our reflection not as we are, but as we wish to be. I’m sorry for your loss, Og.
I really am sorry for your loss. I’ve had dogs much of my life and I know all too well the pain you’re dealing with today.
My prayers and thoughts are with you.
“What we have once enjoyed, we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes part of us.” -Helen Keller
My prayers and thoughts are with you.
Oh no! I’m so sorry. Prayers up, and hugs distributed.
Awwww…So sorry, Og. Heartbreakers, but we can’t live without them. Hugs and prayers.
Everyone else has said it better than I could. Condolences from out here in the hinterlands.
I’m not a dog guy, nor am I much for praying.
Neither of which are gonna stop me from mourning the loss of A Good Dog, and praying that his two-legged friend’s grief is softened by the friends around him.
Our furry friends are often closer to us than our human ones.
I’m sorry about your dog’s passing. I hope that, in time, your memories will comfort you and bring smiles and good stories.
ALL dogs go to heaven, and if we are lucky, we will meet up them again.
My condolences to you and your family.
Condolences, and hopefully you’ll see him again upstairs… Thoughts and prayers for the family.
sad to see you have to go though this, I have gone through it twice so I know how rough it is. things will get better it just takes time, and like swamprabbit say’s all dogs do go to heaven.
My sympathies to the whole Og clan on your loss. He was a cool dog. I loved the way he would great visitors at the door with the cocked head and the howl. My prayers are with you and the family as I know how hard losing a dog can be.
The good ones always tear our hearts.. a prayer for you and yours in your loss…
I’ve read the following post, so I know the reason. I’m glad I didn’t see this yesterday: I just moved, let my cats out of the new house, & one was missing for a day or so. I’d about given up. Luckily, she found her way home.
My condolences, Og. I’ve been there , & will be again. We can only take comfort in the fact that we made their lives happier & more comfortable, as they do ours.