July 5, 2010

Goodbye Polar Bear

Just as a warning,
this is probably going to make you cry;
it makes me cry writing it.

We were concerned as usual for our other dogs and
the expected problems they have with July 4th,
and all of the noise and flashing that they hate so much
that seems to be going on all around us.
(We can see four or five professional shows from our house,
and we feel so bad about the things we lit off;
some of which were louder than usual.)
But we knew they were safe hiding in the barn,
we knew they would be okay.
We should have worried more about our Haggai.

He has often been frightened during thunderstorms,
and occasionally climbed the fence to escape;
but he hadn't done that for awhile.
So we were pretty worried when we couldn't
find him this morning.
Mom and I drove around the block, calling for him.

We found him about a mile away,
but the part of him we all loved best was gone.
A car had gotten him.

We're still very much in denial that our polar bear isn't here.
He was such a calm, gentle, faithful guy.
He humbly protected and guarded our sheep for
about five years, and filled a role that can never be replaced.
We'll never forget his big brown eyes,
his unflinching stare,
his handshake.
He was so huge, so quiet,
so big and brave;
and yet so vulnerable.

Dad buried on him on a little rise between the
woods and the pasture.
A place where his sheep often come to rest;
right in the heart of the land he watched so well.

We miss you bud.

8 comments:

Laura said...

Dearest Miss Kate,
My heart is broken for you all.
Such sad news...no words to describe how you must feel. Just know that there are others who have known this kind of loss before, and grieve with you.
With love,
Mrs. Laura

Anonymous said...

: ( I'm so sorry Kate. May God give you a peace through all your family is going through right now.

Sarah Kriner said...

Aww... :-( I'm so sorry Kate.
It's so sad when family pet's die.

Anonymous said...

:(

Breezy said...

Oh no! How terribly sad! :(
It's so hard losing a darling dog, especially a faithful one like Haggai. We'll miss him, too, even though we didn't get to know him well. I remember first seeing him; I was frightened at his size -at first- but then realized how sweet and gentle he was. Such a dear fellow. ♥

Sending my love and sympathy,
-Breezy

Hannah Rebekah said...

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-Hannah Rebekah

Kelsey said...

I'm so sorry, Kate.
My heart still aches over our big, lovable dog, even though she's been gone 2 years.
Those clumsy, sweet big doggies...they just steal your heart.
I feel your pain friend.

Sara said...

I'm so sorry, Kate. This made me cry as I read it...I know how it feels to lose a dear pet! I think Haggai was the nicest big fluffy white guard dog I've even known, even from afar. :hugs: