The past month or so, despite the hub bub of the holidays, have been hard for me. I have suffered and mourned greatly for the loss of my little Aussie Tabu. It is always difficult to lose one of your family....even when logically we know it is likely we will out live them...the idealist believes they are ours to keep forever. In the process of grieving I have had some experiences that have left me both raw and healed. I have mourned with others who have lost dogs and have listened with fresh ears to their grief and found comfort there. I have read, prayed and cried and found no capsule to contain my pain. How can one little dog so full of sweetness and light cause such devastation?

Today I was sitting at the vet with a friend and spied a small book about dogs by Eugene O' Neill. Since I have liked so many of his writings I picked it up and started to read it aloud. I wasn't far into it when I realized I was on the old worn road to another emotional Tabu meltdown and put the book aside. I should have known....after all it was called "The Last Will and Testament of a Distinguished Dog" When I was home and everyone was in bed I decided to see if I could find the book. I did find it....but even better I found the writing on-line....I can share it with you and best of all it is FREE. I found many lines in this that have comforted me. I share it in hopes that it will give you a chance to treasure the dogs you hold dear now and to reflect on the dogs who have gone on.

http://www.eoneill.com/texts/blemie/contents.htm