Thursday, January 8, 2015

Fly Free Sweepy


This post is in memory of a wonderful dog who lives in the Philippines.  His mom (or keeper as Sweepy calls her) and our mom met online a few years ago.  Since we call our Sweetpea, Sweepy  as a nickname we followed both Sweepy's blog and his mom's.  We are so grateful that we got to know Sweepy and his family.

Sweepy has gone to the Rainbow Bridge at age 12. (he would have been 13 on March 18).  His mom Lui, is heart borken over this loss.   Sweepy is the last of the orginal group of dogs - Hounds in Heaven - that she rescued and cared for.  An era has ended even tho Lui has younger dogs and cats still with her.

Please do visit her blog and leave her words of comfort.  I know that whenever I have lost one of my fur family, others who care have helped me so much in my grief.  Lui has posted about her beloved Sweepy here -  Lui is in Heaven.

 We would like to end this post with a this wonderful article.  I have sent it to other friends when they have lost their dog.  Thank you all for caring for your fur babies so much!

Fly free Sweepy - until we meet again!

Ernest Montague  (of dogheirs.com) wrote this and says, "I wrote this several years ago in memory of Bolo, a black and white Pit Bull who would always go for a walk, right up to the day he died. He might only get 15 feet before he stopped and looked at me and gave me the look: 'I can't go any further. But don't you think for one minute I'm done walking.'"

The experience of losing a dog is a universal one for every pet parent. I hope Ernest's wise words help you, or someone you know, even if just a little.

"Some of you, particularly those who think they have recently lost a dog to 'death', don’t really understand this. I’ve had no desire to explain, but won’t be around forever and must.

Dogs never die. They don’t know how to. They get tired, and very old, and their bones hurt. Of course they don’t die. If they did they would not want to always go for a walk, even long after their old bones say: 'No, no, not a good idea. Let's not go for a walk.' Nope, dogs always want to go for a walk. They might get one step before their aging tendons collapse them into a heap on the floor, but that's what dogs are. They walk.

It’s not that they dislike your company. On the contrary, a walk with you is all there is. Their boss, and the cacaphonic symphony of odor that the world is. Cat poop, another dog’s mark, a rotting chicken bone (exultation), and you. That’s what makes their world perfect, and in a perfect world death has no place.

However, dogs get very very sleepy. That’s the thing, you see. They don't teach you that at the fancy university where they explain about quarks, gluons, and Keynesian economics. They know so much they forget that dogs never die. It’s a shame, really. Dogs have so much to offer and people just talk a lot.

When you think your dog has died, it has just fallen asleep in your heart. And by the way, it is wagging its tail madly, you see, and that’s why your chest hurts so much and you cry all the time. Who would not cry with a happy dog wagging its tail in their chest. Ouch! Wap wap wap wap wap, that hurts. But they only wag when they wake up. That’s when they say: 'Thanks Boss! Thanks for a warm place to sleep and always next to your heart, the best place.'

When they first fall asleep, they wake up all the time, and that’s why, of course, you cry all the time. Wap, wap, wap. After a while they sleep more. (remember, a dog while is not a human while. You take your dog for walk, it’s a day full of adventure in an hour. Then you come home and it's a week, well one of your days, but a week, really, before the dog gets another walk. No WONDER they love walks.)

Anyway, like I was saying, they fall asleep in your heart, and when they wake up, they wag their tail. After a few dog years, they sleep for longer naps, and you would too. They were a GOOD DOG all their life, and you both know it. It gets tiring being a good dog all the time, particularly when you get old and your bones hurt and you fall on your face and don’t want to go outside to pee when it is raining but do anyway, because you are a good dog. So understand, after they have been sleeping in your heart, they will sleep longer and longer.

But don’t get fooled. They are not 'dead.' There’s no such thing, really. They are sleeping in your heart, and they will wake up, usually when you’re not expecting it. It’s just who they are.

I feel sorry for people who don’t have dogs sleeping in their heart. You’ve missed so much. Excuse me, I have to go cry now."




15 comments:

Angel Simba said...

We went to Lui's blog and told her how sorry we were. Thank you for letting us know.

Brian's Home Blog said...

That is very sad and we will stop by too.

da tabbies o trout towne said...

guys.....we R veree sorree to heer bout yur friend sweepy; de storee ewe posted.....beyond awesum ♥♥♥♥♥

we noe sweepy loves it ...

God's speed ~~~~

Lui said...

Dear Cheri, thank you for your comforting words and support. Yes, come to think of it, i took Sweepy for a walk out of Heaven a few days before he died. He just stopped outside the gate unable to move on. He gave me that look that say "im done with all these." I know "that look", Cheri. I saw and understood what it is from experience. From a long procession of dogs and cats, not to mention the frogs and lizardS and birds inside my home Heaven. I know when the time is done for walking and struggling in this world. I, in fact, was the first to tell Sweepy that I am leaving when I had cancer and might die and leave him soon. I know and feel all my 'hounds' wagging their tails in my heart too. I know all that and my tears are happy ones because I do know all that. Thank you for keeping one with me at this difficult time, Cheri. . .

Anonymous said...

Dat wuz very sweet. So sorry fur yous loss.

Luv ya'

Dezi and Lexi

TimberLove said...

Soft woooos,

Talent Hounds said...

Beautiful post. Thanks for sharing.

Barbara Rivers said...

Thank you for sharing those very touching words of wisdom.

Cat and DOG Chat With Caren said...

we are so deeply sorry :(

Vicat said...

So very sorry for the loss.
*headbonks*
~Vicat

DeniseinVA said...

I was so sad to hear of Sweepy's passing. A lovely tribute Cheri, thanks for letting me know.

Cathy Keisha said...

Sweepy and Lui will be together again one day in the real “Heaven."

LP said...

We will go and leave a few kind words.

the critters in the cottage xo

Jans Funny Farm said...

We left a comment when we first saw your post on fb about Sweepy. We are always saddened to know someone has lost a furry friend.

meowmeowmans said...

We are so sorry for the loss of your special friend. This is a beautiful tribute to Sweepy, and the love that he and Lui shared.

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