From a link posted by Inessence, http://www.tickld.com/x/old-man-explains-d...eving-young-man. So very valid in the grief journey. It brings it to life and it brings hope.

He Was Grieving Over The Death Of His Best Friend, Until An Old Man Told Him THIS. Mind Blown.

Bobby Popovic
Content Writer

From the depths of old internet comments comes another incredible gem of a story. One user wrote the following heartfelt plea online:

"My friend just died. I don't know what to do."

The rest of the post has been deleted, only the title remains. However, the helpful responses live on, and one of them was absolutely incredible. The reply by this self-titled "old guy" might just change the way you approach life and death.

I'm old. What that means is that I've survived (so far) and a lot of people I've known and loved did not.

I've lost friends, best friends, acquaintances, co-workers, grandparents, mom, relatives, teachers, mentors, students, neighbors, and a host of other folks. I have no children, and I can't imagine the pain it must be to lose a child. But here's my two cents...

I wish I could say you get used to people dying. But I never did. I don't want to. It tears a hole through me whenever somebody I love dies, no matter the circumstances. But I don't want it to "not matter". I don't want it to be something that just passes. My scars are a testament to the love and the relationship that I had for and with that person. And if the scar is deep, so was the love. So be it.

Scars are a testament to life. Scars are a testament that I can love deeply and live deeply and be cut, or even gouged, and that I can heal and continue to live and continue to love. And the scar tissue is stronger than the original flesh ever was. Scars are a testament to life. Scars are only ugly to people who can't see.

As for grief, you'll find it comes in waves. When the ship is first wrecked, you're drowning, with wreckage all around you. Everything floating around you reminds you of the beauty and the magnificence of the ship that was, and is no more. And all you can do is float. You find some piece of the wreckage and you hang on for a while. Maybe it's some physical thing. Maybe it's a happy memory or a photograph. Maybe it's a person who is also floating. For a while, all you can do is float. Stay alive.

In the beginning, the waves are 100 feet tall and crash over you without mercy. They come 10 seconds apart and don't even give you time to catch your breath. All you can do is hang on and float. After a while, maybe weeks, maybe months, you'll find the waves are still 100 feet tall, but they come further apart. When they come, they still crash all over you and wipe you out. But in between, you can breathe, you can function. You never know what's going to trigger the grief. It might be a song, a picture, a street intersection, the smell of a cup of coffee. It can be just about anything...and the wave comes crashing. But in between waves, there is life.

Somewhere down the line, and it's different for everybody, you find that the waves are only 80 feet tall. Or 50 feet tall. And while they still come, they come further apart. You can see them coming. An anniversary, a birthday, or Christmas, or landing at O'Hare. You can see it coming, for the most part, and prepare yourself. And when it washes over you, you know that somehow you will, again, come out the other side. Soaking wet, sputtering, still hanging on to some tiny piece of the wreckage, but you'll come out.

Take it from an old guy. The waves never stop coming, and somehow you don't really want them to. But you learn that you'll survive them. And other waves will come. And you'll survive them too.

If you're lucky, you'll have lots of scars from lots of loves. And lots of shipwrecks.

Hi, Monique, thank you so much for sharing this wonderfully poignant obervation of life - - and sorrow - - and with us. I hope it is one of many ways that brings comfort and encouragement to you as you travel your grief adjustment journey.

I hope today is treating you and your precious companions kindly, Monique, and that you and your precious fur family will have a peaceful evening blessed with each of your beloved companions' sweet Living Spirits to comfort you. Please know you and your precious companions are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I look forward to knowing how you and your precious fur family are doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Dear Monique.

I just read the story you posted. How touching and real. I certainly have a lot of scars. And I am proud to have them, even though it means that I've lost so many loved ones.

A young woman in a nearby town passed away suddenly on September 1st. I did not know her, I know her father a bit through work. But I did not know her at all and yet her death has been haunting me since I found out Thursday. My daughter knew her through her work. She was in her 20's, has a very young daughter and was to be married in 18 days. They said it was a blood clot. How devastating. I have lost many, but I cannot even fathom losing a child. Well, not one that I've met. I've lost two to ectopic pregnancies, but I never even knew them. Sure I grieved for them, but I never had the chance to know them at all.

Still no Smokie. I fear that he is gone forever. Another scar.

I hope today is a good one for you and your precious little babies. Sorry, about writing about this young woman. I just needed to "let it out". Her name was Elsa. Life (sigh)...............sometimes, I wonder how we go on at all.

Anyway take care.

Lynette.

i understand how a story like elsa's would grip you and the need to write about i understand as well. you need to reach out and share. it is a way of celebrating the life that was lost. i think in grief we do that, in part. it made me think of a story in national news. recently a murderer was executed in missouri. his partner in crime had gone the year before. their act was beyond reprehensible. a 15 yr old girl, waiting at the end of her driveway for the school bus, waiting patiently next to her books and flute. these drug crazed men in a stolen car, decided at random to kidnap her. the crimes against her were reprehensible beyond words. her mom was inside helping the younger sister get ready. she looked up when she heard the bus and all she saw were her daughter's school books and flute. they found her body 3 days later in the trunk of a car. her name was ann. it happened in 1989. she would be 41 now... it took all this time to put these monsters to death. there is no fair justice for the crimes they committed against this innocent life. and keeping them on death row for 25-26 years was an added insult. i will carry ann with me for all time. the crimes against the innocents resonate particularly deeply to me and i believe that's because i have championed for the plight of innocents for as long as i can remember.

i'm so sorry smokie still has not come home. it would help if you knew something, so you can work on closure and rest your heart, mind and soul. i had a similar experience many years ago. when i see a picture of a pet on the neighborhood stop sign, i always think of my toby. i saw remains of the tape i used for years. i have an idea of what happened to him, but no proof. and for all the flyers i put out and people i spoke to, ... one neighbor (whoever he was) knew, and said nothing, and it was his dog... you have to know he saw the flyers for months on end and i probably talked to him as well!

i have been in a foxhole of sorts this weekend. it's a federal holiday today so i'm home and will have to finish up a slew of things i did not get to this past weekend. i tried to rest and feel even more exhausted. much churning through my head and i wake up in some sort of panic after every nap or night's sleep.

more silent screams... how incredibly tragic. these magnificent animals starving to death. hungry and desperate 24 hours a day...

https://www.thedodo.com/emaciated-polar-bear-1330557679.html

i feel completely helpless and hopeless...

Dear Monique.

How horrible that these polar bears are starving. I feel your pain too. I live in Manitoba where there are many polar bears wondering around the north. They are magnificent creatures. Very disturbing indeed.

Life sure can be cruel - can't it?

Lynette.

Hi, Monique, thank you so much for sharing with us how you're doing. Humanity - - each individual human being - - has been given the privilege of being stewards of this living planet and all creatures inhaibitating the earth. Sadly, humanity in general has been brainwashed to believe that it is the "be all and end all" of creation. Thankfully, there are individual human beings who do not subscribe to this philosophy and dedicate their energies and lives to not only preserving the survivors of humanity's plundering but try to improve the surviving inhabitants' quality of life. Some do this on a global level, some do this on a national level, some do this on a local level, some focus on a particular species / breed - - and some do this on a very personal level each and every day tending to the physical and emotional needs of their precious companions - - and /or community waifs. To have a heart that still has room to grieve for the abuse of those we cannot personally take care of is a heart that has a huge capacity to feel compassion - - even though it grieves us that we cannot stop the plundering of humanity in general.

There are several reliable organizations that dedicate their time, energy, and financial resources toward the survival of our co-inhabitants of this living planet. Most of them participate with online petitions where people can add their voices to those who care about what happens locally, nationally, and globally. Financial donations, although solicited, are NOT required to participate in these online petitions, and you do not have to participate in social media either. You can also request updates on the status of the petitions which are provided via e-mail. For some, like me, this is all I can do - - but it is gratifying to be able to add my voice to others who share a genuine concern about all inhabitants of this living planet. I do not share this to boast about what I do - - but solely to offer information as to what is available.

I hope today is treating you and your precious companions kindly, Monique, and that you and your precious fur family will have a peaceful evening blessed with each of your beloved companions' sweet Living Spirits to comfort you. Please know you and your precious companions are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I look forward to knowing how you and your precious fur family are doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

thank you for checking in, lynette. you have been a beacon for me for quite some time. your presence gives me comfort.

thank you so much for writing, moon_beam. i am comforted by your letters, full of comfort, insight, and non-judgement and i see your loving presence all over the site. i particularly appreciate your mention of how humans help animals, from the grand scale, to the microcosm. that is my sanctuary, a mere blip on the radar, a tiny microcosm in the grand scheme of the plight of animals. i was so overwhelmed at times trying to field 500 - 1000 emails per day from across the u.s., canada, and some overseas, while tending to my large and complicated household of rescues. i was extremely well connected. i worked to pull 1000s upon 1000s of animals to homes and safety over the years from 2002 - 2009. i had several periods where i lost compassion for my fellow man. i would see a school bus pass and think, There goes the next generation of abusers. in 2009, i left active rescue to focus on those still at home. i could not give them the love and comfort they needed while part of me was rotting from the infection that was (and is) man's inhumanity towards his own kind, all species, and the planet that provides so beautifully for him. being away from the active rescue scene now for 6 years had dulled this global kind of pain. it's still there, though. when i saw the picture of the starving polar bear, it all came barreling back to me. putting my head in the sand does not resolve any of the global issues.

i remind myself of the starfish saver. there are many versions of this story. a young boy was walking the seashore after the tide had receded, picking up one stranded starfish after another, and tossing them back into the ocean. an elderly man happened along and watched. he asked the young lad why he bothered. there were thousands more, as far as the eye could see. he could not possibly save them all. as the young lad picked up the next starfish and tossed him back to safety and life, he said, To this one, i have made all the difference. and that is how i had to realign my involvement. to focus on the one, rather than the masses, as to that one, i made all the difference. my capacity to help is finite.

if i could take in all of the orphaned children in the world, i would. there are orphanages in russia, for ex., where children languish in cribs, devoid of human contact and love. my heart just breaks. another... there was an email going around a while ago, about an elderly parent who had to sit at a little table by himself with a wooden bowl and spoon, as he was clumsy and messy and his caregivers were impatient and cruel. i want to help all of those people, stripped of their dignity, their bodies no longer functioning fully. i know my limitations. i long ago maxed out what i could physically do for animals and will maintain my commitment to ensure love and quality of life for those still with me. i used to sign my name w/ comments to petitions. that, too, had to stop. i lived all the pain. the hauntings became too much to bear. i found i could manage my household, and little beyond that without great sacrifice to my mental well being. i had to set boundaries. someone else had to pick up the plight of animals and our planet while i stepped down to care for those still with me.

this time, with madelynne, i have read extensively on this site. i'm on it several times a day. i need help and find comfort in reading here. the kinship is unbreakable. people here know what if feels like to lose a furred or feathered child. i leave comments here and there. i am in such a strange place. i need, i need, i need, and then i don't know what it is exactly and what i'm feeling. a general ill at ease, fatigue. i feel and look faded and as if i've aged 50 years the last few weeks, drawn and just.plainly.sad.

i don't know where i am and just kind of mindlessly going through the motions. i do not trust anything anymore. future losses. when is it going to ease? i really had no idea it could get any worse,... and then madelynne. just horrific. i am speechless when i think back on that last drive, on her heart stopping. it's all just too much. i believe i released her and my animals and me. the part i cannot reconcile as of yet, is giving permission, the playing God, the determining life or death. i don't want this on my docket, and now i own it!

interestingly, i don't think so much about madelynne specifically, but rather the sheer magnitude of this loss and all the components of the perfect storm. the totality of it all that has left me feeling so completely spent and devastated.

it rained heavily here today. i became more and more unsettled and disturbed as i was driving home from work, first in driving rain, then met with huge, blinding splashes as opposing traffic raced through puddles that were way too deep to drive through safely. when i got home, i didn't want to go inside. the backyard, as usual, was flooded. mud had collected from the neighbors. several of the little dogs had messes in their crates. three baths and many cleanings later, i finally was able to sit down.

another day has passed and i somehow survived. the shipwreck in the harbor. i'm hanging on to pieces of the ship, and then i have a moment here and there when i'm on a raft drifting into the sunset.

and i'm crying.

Hi Monique.

So sorry you were feeling out of sorts yesterday. I hope you feel better today. We all have tough days and somehow we manage to get through them. It will get easier as time passes. We just learn to live with it.

Your comment about playing God - I get that. I've done that and yes it's something that we have to live with that haunts us forever. But then look at these old people who are slowing dying without dignity. How many of them would love for someone to make that decision for them? I don't think I'd want to live that way. Life is just so tough some days. I know I can be having a good day and then all of a sudden out of the blue I'm hurting and longing for my little angels.

I'm like you I think when it comes to animals. It breaks my heart to see animals being abused or neglected. I know there is nothing I can do for them. Sure I donate to local animal rescues, but it doesn't seem enough sometimes. But that's all I can afford. I've liked and joined all of kinds of animal rescue shelters but I've hidden their feeds because I just cannot bear to see the disgusting things that humans do to these poor innocent animals. It stays with me for days and just makes me so mad and upset. I can fully understand why you retired from this. I salute anyone and everyone who does this, but it must weigh pretty heavy on them. They must be terribly strong people. As you are.

Life will settle down and things will get easier. I'm sure your animals are feeling the same too. They were scared of Madelynne but I'm certain that they loved her and are missing her.

Anyway, I have to get back to work.

Take care and don't be so hard on yourself. You are an amazing person. What you've done and what you continue to do makes you an Angel on this cruel planet.

Lynette.

Hi, Monique, thank you so much for sharing with us how you and your precious companions are doing. I TOTALLY understand how you feel as you so eloquently share with us "i know my limitations. i long ago maxed out what i could physically do for animals and will maintain my commitment to ensure love and quality of life for those still with me. i used to sign my name w/ comments to petitions. that, too, had to stop. i lived all the pain. the hauntings became too much to bear. i found i could manage my household, and little beyond that without great sacrifice to my mental well being. i had to set boundaries. someone else had to pick up the plight of animals and our planet while i stepped down to care for those still with me."

It is vitally imperative that each of us know our limitations and set boundaries so that we can care for those who are with us - - as well as ourselves. If we don't take care of ourselves then we are unable to care for those who are with us - - whoever the life form. We need to focus our time and energies on the example of the starfish saver "To this one, i have made all the difference. and that is how i had to realign my involvement. to focus on the one, rather than the masses, as to that one, i made all the difference. my capacity to help is finite."

Monique, it is clear as you write that you are physically and emotionally exhausted from everything you have been through - - to feel as though there is no end to the "rip tide" that continues to drag you under the swells and further out to deeper water without any rescue or refuge in sight. It is vitally important for you to take time - - if it's just a few minutes each day - - to focus on YOU. Back in the 1970's, 1980's there was a clinical awareness of how our lives are affected by our "biorhythms". The Native Americans rely heavily on music - - particularly the beat of the drum - - for the center of their life which becomes their "life beat." When the automobile collision happened my life was totally devastated - - I had lost my "life beat". Because of the extensive destruction my life experienced, it took several years for me to find a NEW center for my life - - a NEW "life beat" - - a restoration of a healthy "biorhythm". And this continues to be a daily journey.

Monique, grieving takes a HUGE amount of energy, and it literally affects every aspect of our physical and emotional stamina. Scientific studies prove that every living being has an "energy" - - and when that "energy" is no longer present the family unit - - of whoever life forms are involved - - experiences the void to varying degrees, and needs to "readjust" the dynamics of the family unit to compensate for the loss of the "energy" presence - - because the "energy presence" is now transformed to a different dimension - - is no longer part of the physical realm. This takes time, Monique - - one day at a time one moment at a time. It is vitally important that you try to find some time for YOU.

I hope today is treating you and your precious companions kindly, Monique, and that you and your precious fur family will have a peaceful evening blessed with each of your beloved companions' sweet Living Spirits to comfort you. Please know you and your precious companions are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I look forward to knowing how you and your precious fur family are doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

hi lynette,

thank you for stopping in. i hoped you would today. i visit this site many times during the day. it keeps me going through all of my dysfunction. i used to have a facebook account, primarily to be able to view the details of many animals needing help. i somehow got connected with rescue efforts in foreign countries. if the united states are bad,... omg, overseas there are so, so many horrors and all i could do was emit silent screams, one after another. i, too, hid the threads, or deleted the contact. i left facebook altogether not long after i stopped networking. i'm at peace with this decision.

hi moon_beam,

i read your advice several times today. you summarize it perfectly, that i "feel as though there is no end to the "rip tide" that continues to drag you under the swells and further out to deeper water without any rescue or refuge in sight." yes, rip tides. dragging me across the ocean floor and back to the surface for the briefest possible moment to grab a gulp of air, and then not even a lung full.

believe it or not, i am trying very hard to put time aside for myself every day. i spend a great deal of time by myself. sitting with my dogs at night in the sunroom, as i am now while i'm writing, is the moment of peace i long for every day. the dogs are either slumbering in their spots, or playing nicely (the little ones, l'il peep, otis and olivia, 3 little ones with tons of energy looking for fun... there is something so very endearing and sweet about little innocents romping and playing, completely oblivious to the pain in the world. their lives center around where to find the next toy, or game, or mischief...). visiting and writing here is the singularly most comforting companion to my grief. when i get to a quiet spot, my mind is even busier thinking, sorting, justifying. i have been experiencing psychosomatic symptoms lately. stomach upset and pain. food does not sit right. i tried to eat particularly well today, thinking i just needed a well balanced meal. it all just hurt my stomach. i realize i'm in a dangerous place, now that physical symptoms have started to manifest. i'm now in full retreat from everyone and everything that isn't absolutely necessary.

and, then...

i was rear ended sitting at a stop sign on my way home today to meet an insurance adjuster for ongoing leaks in my sunroom. life continues to just happen right alongside my grief. the young woman just rolled into my bumper. i feel it already in my neck and back of my head. stiffness. she was very apologetic and then started to cry. she stated she thinks she actually blacked out for a moment due to unexplained headaches as of late. she started to cry again and remained in a state of distress the entire time. her boyfriend showed up and was particularly talkative, which i found difficult to process. so much going on, his nonstop chatter, the policeman asking questions and filling in forms, the young woman crying and upset, talking and explaining, dabbing her face so as to not mess up her makeup (geez), the heat and humidity, the merciless sun beating down, the ticking clock as i needed to get home to let my dogs out and situate them before the adjuster arrived. i noted every hair and fuzzy and dirt spot on my car. madelynne hairs, no doubt. i felt ever older and more haggard than even moments before the accident. i told the young woman, the bumper is no big deal, it's just stuff. provide comfort at my own expense. take care of your health issues, i said. it was obviously not about me even though i was the one rear ended. was she being honest, or was she texting? i'll never know. i felt her distress, regardless of what the root cause of it was, and i just wanted to run to a quiet place and let out yet another silent scream. she was completely unaware of all the rip tides in my life. she was in distress and that added to my distress as i absorbed hers.

the appointment with adjuster came and went. and,... my toilet is still running nonstop- thank goodness i can easily turn off the water after each use. and life just keeps on going.

i want to run to my cliff, and stand in the driving rain and wind with my cape billowing behind me, while a lone raven cried and circled overhead. just me and the raven. let everything else Just.Be.Quiet!

my cliff: years ago, i had someone tell me to find my rock, a place, a picture, a scene, whatever, that i refer to and establish boundaries that nothing and no one with intrusive intent could cross or enter. for me, that virtual place was "obviously" a cliff with jagged rocks at the bottom and the ocean waters crashing relentlessly. this place is virtually impregnable, and that is no doubt why it instantly leaped into my mind as she was describing her rock. a necessary and extreme isolation. my cliff, the ocean, the raven. all are significant. i have not thought of my cliff for quite some time. i believe that is where i need to go in my mind to find peace from all the shipwrecks.

Hi Monique.

So sorry you had such a terrible day. I won't stay long tonight, but just thought I would stop in and see if you had written anything. I enjoy our conversations - even though it's based on such sorrow.

Perhaps you should have a nice relaxing bath tonight. Rest and relax a while in peaceful solitude. I think you need some very much needed relaxation.

I will check in again tomorrow.

Good night Monique. Sleep well.

Lynette.

what a nice surprise! thank you! i am about to turn in, which means many animal care steps first. you, too, sleep well. both of us, with our loved ones and living spirits, as moon_beam always says. xoxo

Hi, Monique, thank you so much for sharing with us how you and your precious companions are doing. I am so sorry you had to endure yet another mishap yesterday with being rear-ended. I hope the stiffness in your neck and head is only temporary and can be relieved by over the counter pain meds as needed. Please let us know how you're doing.

The cliff with the crashing waves and raven - - sounds like an idyllic mental escape. From what you are sharing with us about your physical symptoms it definitely sounds like you are experiencing typical stress related symptoms. I highly encourage you in your efforts to be "in full retreat from everyone and everything that isn't absolutely necessary." This is vitally important for your physical and emotional health.

I am so smiling at your description of the comfort you receive as you watch your little ones as you share with us "there is something so very endearing and sweet about little innocents romping and playing, completely oblivious to the pain in the world. their lives center around where to find the next toy, or game, or mischief...)." It is moments like these you need to focus on - - and try to multiply them as much as possible - - so that the GOODNESS of your days will outweigh the moments of aggravation, disappointments, etc.. You have been immersed in negativity for a long time, Monique, and the result of this is taking its toll on you.

I hope today is treating you and your precious companions kindly, Monique, and that you and your precious fur family will have a peaceful evening blessed with each of your beloved companions' sweet Living Spirits to comfort you. Please know you and your precious companions are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I look forward to knowing how you and your precious fur family are doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

thank you, moon_bean, for your grace and comfort.

the daily guidepost entry is included here. most appropriate, whether from a global perspective or a microcosm subset.

Good afternoon.

Hoping today finds you in a good place and well rested.

Moon_beam said it right - you've been under so much stress for so long that it's only understandable that it would take some time to get used to things the way they are now.

9/11 - 14 years ago - wow time flies doesn't it? I still remember vividly where I was when I heard the news as do most people. I read a post on Facebook about the last know rescue dog from that day turning 16. Amazing - she was from Texas and they flew her back to New York for her birthday. Such a beautiful dog and what an amazing thing she did.

Not much to write about today. Pretty quiet here at work. Looking forward to the weekend not that I have much planned - just yard work and taking down our pool. We had a light frost this morning so summer is pretty much done up here. That sucks - cos I love summer so much. Definitely not looking forward to months on end of winter!

Have a concert to go to on Monday. My daughter bought tickets to Don Williams for my birthday this year. So that's where we're off to Monday evening. Should be good. Then it's her birthday Tuesday. We have so many birthdays this month. We'll have family over on Sunday for that. I always buy a gift from my little angels to give her everything birthday and Christmas. I ordered a giraffe necklace for her this year. I'll wrap it so pretty and tag with love from Bud, Lady, Hunny, Lily, George and all the cats. She'll get one each from Izzy, Barney, Casey and the cats. We spoil her so much!!!

Anyway, I'm just rambling on and on. I hope you have a good day today and a good weekend Monique.

Take care.

hi lynette,

hard to believe, yes, 14 years ago... i also recall exactly where i was.

i saw the story of bretagne. it so endeared me. 16 years old. we have to know that all the dogs who so valiantly and bravely searched for survivors knew much more than any human toiling in the aftermath. she is the last known canine survivor. i've been thinking about her all day. i saw an article many years ago that featured many of the dogs who helped out. many of their faces gray with age, eyes filled with love and wisdom.

thank you for stopping in. i'm working to focus on the good that is happening around me. out of every disaster, there is a blessing. i did not get seriously hurt in the rear end collision. the ongoing house repair issues are not worth getting upset over in the grand scheme of things- we have a solid roof over our heads. and there is much to celebrate in my dog family as peace continues to spread.

i hope you have a nice weekend. enjoy all the upcoming festivities- happy birthday greetings to you and your daughter. pleasant times to help ease the pangs of pain.

xo

the most loving tribute to one of the great heroes of our time, britagne.

in honor of all the the canines who worked tirelessly in the aftermath of 9/11:

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/bretagn...b57ca-106532873

Hi, Monique, thank you so much for sharing with us how you're doing. Indeed, the canine heros who worked ferverishly to find survivors - - as well as those who worked diligently to find the remains of those lost - - will forever be remembered. There was a picture in the local newspaper that I remember to this day - - and wish I had clipped it out to save - - of one of the Search and Rescue dogs sitting next to one of the firefighter first responders on a street curb in front of the fallen Twin Towers, with the S&R dog cradled in the firefighter's arms.

One of the many treasured memories I have with my beloved Oslo is that we were honored to work with a class of at risk youth. We visited them once a week, and I prepared lessons for the students on how animals help humanity - - including historical lessons on the history of animals in war, search and rescue, and the anatomical similarities between animals and humans. One of the historical lessons of animals in war I included was about the Lipizzan Stallions and how General Patton and his German counterpart worked together to save them as war invaded the safety of their stables and grazing patures. Other lessons included information about the fragile environment including the horrible disaster of Chernbyl nuclear power plant and Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania - - how everything affects every living being literally from the living earth and life giving water and all that is sustained by them.

I hope today is treating you and your precious companions kindly, Monique, and that you and your precious fur family will have a peaceful evening blessed with each of your beloved companions' sweet Living Spirits to comfort you. Please know you and your precious companions are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I look forward to knowing how you and your precious fur family are doing.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

sweet oslo,... how wonderful that the two of you were able to reach many impressionable minds. very interesting about general patton. i know the 9/11 picture you are talking about. a google search will get you a copy, should you still want it.

i subscribe to one green planet and in the daily sending, was this story: http://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/belle-w...a9ca2-106532873. i had to make this part of my thread. this is at the heart of why rescue is worth all the sacrifices. i'm originally from holland and am honored that irene lives in holland and has given little belle such a wonderful life.

many of the clouds have lifted from my soul. i managed to get some things done, got some rest, and am enjoying my quiet time with my dogs this evening. it has helped me to write to alicia, who has suffered the recent loss of her tristan. she mentioned that while she is writing or composing something in memoriam or talking about the passing of her beloved tristan, that she feels some reprieve from the relentless pain of grief, and then when she is away from the activity, the pains of grief wash over her once again. i completely understand this. the madelynne chapter has been an intense trial on many fronts. i have never written or reached out as much before. when i'm actively engaging with those who understand, i feel relief. once that passes, clouds reappear. thankfully, i found some relief in the cloud cover without constant contact.

healing is in progress.