Sparky

Sweet Sparky.  He was my dad's best buddy for 9 years, until my dad passed away.  His life seemed to move almost in sync with my dad's.  When my dad got very sick, so did Sparky.  My dad was diabetic; so was Sparky. 

Sparky passed on May 2nd.  My mom had to make the decision to euthanize him.  He was going downhill very fast.  He was in kidney failure, had started having seizures, and his mind was obviously not working right.  I was with my mom when Sparky passed.  It is a hard thing to witness, but also a beautiful thing, to know you are freeing someone you love from their suffering.  It was peaceful, as it should be.  If only we could  all pass that easily, surrounded by those who loved us with their whole hearts.

Sparky was cremated, and his remains placed inside a wooden box.  Soon, when our family is able to be together, we will gather at my dad's grave and bury Sparky's remains beside my father, where he belongs.  It was meant to be this way you see---on my parents' grave stone an artist has rendered a beautiful etching with my parents' likenesses overlooking their home and land....and Sparky is beside them.  And so it shall be.

 When Sparky first came to the family, in 2001.