Where to bury a dog...
I found this on another website and I thought it deserved to be shared.
Where To Bury A Dog
By Ben Hur Lampman
There are various places within which a dog may be buried. We are thinking now of a setter, whose coat was flame in the sunshine, and who, so far as we are aware, never entertained a mean or an unworthy thought. This setter is buried beneath a cherry tree, under four feet of garden loam, and at its proper season the cherry strews petals on the green lawn of his grave. Beneath a cherry tree, or an apple, or any flowering shrub of the garden, is an excellent place to bury a good dog. Beneath such trees, such shrubs, he slept in the drowsy summer, or gnawed at a flavorous bone, or lifted head to challenge some strange intruder. These are good places, in life or in death. Yet it is a small matter, and it touches sentiment more than anything else.
For if the dog be well remembered, if sometimes he leaps through your dreams actual as in life, eyes kindling, questing, asking, laughing, begging, it matters not at all where that dog sleeps at long and at last. On a hill where the wind is unrebuked and the trees are roaring, or beside a stream he knew in puppyhood, or somewhere in the flatness of a pasture land, where most exhilarating cattle graze. It is all one to the dog, and all one to you, and nothing is gained, and nothing lost—if memory lives. But there is one best place to bury a dog. One place that is best of all.
If you bury him in this spot, the secret of which you must already have, he will come to you when you call—come to you over the grim, dim frontiers of death, and down the well-remembered path, and to your side again. And though you call a dozen living dogs to heel they should not growl at him, nor resent his coming, for he is yours and he belongs there.
People may scoff at you, who see no lightest blade of grass bent by his footfall, who hear no whimper pitched too fine for mere audition, people who may never really have had a dog. Smile at them then, for you shall know something that is hidden from them, and which is well worth the knowing.
The one best place to bury a good dog is in the heart of his master.
Comments
jimmyt44 11 years ago
I have always maintained that dogs are one of God's greatest gifts to mankind. I'm sure that cat lovers feel the same way.
azdiane 11 years ago
Sweet and so sad. I have a seventeen year old cat who is still remarkably "with it" for her age, but I realize every time I scritch her that her sweet purr will be silent all too soon now. Sometimes the anticipatory grief is worse than the final thing.
Hugs to all my critter-loving kinky friends here. Thanks for this sweet post, girl.
Diane
Mashie 11 years ago
Yes, please pass the tissues my way as well. I have had many animals in my life, while I loved them all, there are a few that for some reason were even more special to you. For me, this was my precious Maggie Mae. Two weeks after dropping off her last litter of puppies in Up State, and at the young age of just 4, she died in my arms. I had her cremated and she sits proudly in the middle of my mantle with a dried rose on top of her box. It's been 2 and a half years and I still cry for her almost everday. I think she took a lot of my heart with her the day she crossed the rainbow bridge. Doc and his best friend/office manager have 4 of Maggies babies so on those special occasions when I get to see the babies who are now 4 and 2, I can still somewhat feel her presence in them which slowly allows my heart to heal.
Mashie
MissStress 11 years ago
Our pets are our family. They should be remembered and mourned as well. *wipes her tears I've had too many beloved pets (cats for me) that have made me cry when they were gone, with more yet in my future. Thank you for sharing.
chester89 11 years ago
Forget "tears to my eyes." I'm sitting here with them running down my face. Thank you for this. It was wonderful. And there's always room there for one more.
xkv8r 11 years ago
This brought tears to my eyes..........I understand it well, and appreciate the writing and your posting it here.
Thank You!
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