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TO BURY A FRIEND

Sometimes things happen that cannot really be explained logically.  These things can take on many forms; Life, love, stress and struggle.  And sometimes true tragedy happens.  This last week has been no exception for me and my family. What you're about to read is an emotional expression of a first hand account of burying a friend.

Yesterday morning I had to bury a family friend.  A family member really, one I had only recently come to know.  Its quite a thing to grab a shovel in your hand and know that what you're about to do signifies a great and true finality, an end to something.  Its symbolic both good and bad to sink the blade into the top soil, depress downward and pry up a mound of Earth, set aside and repeat process.  Its quite a thing.  You see, a pet is a family member in my eyes and even once removed, while living in proximity, a pet is still a family member all the same.  Yesterday I was to bury a family member. 

Do you express personal disgust at yourself for literally throwing dirt on their faces?  Do you take pride in doing this great deed?  Both really.  You treat the situation as respectfully as possible, despite the nature of it all.  You take the time to wrap them in a cloth and put their favorite possession within their grip and you take another moment afterward to do what you must to fully appreciate the situation.  A moment of silence in many ways.  You think inward.

Her name was George, and she will be missed.

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