Goodbye, Leben

In Montag's, and Sonntag and Kessie's cases, I had my final goodbyes with them when i scattered their ashes in the Shenandoah valley and Arctic tundra, respectively.  Because I will save Leben's and Erde's ashes to be scattered with mine, I will make my final goodbyes to Leben with the ritual at his cremation tomorrow.

In addition to driving him out to the crematory and staying by his side till I can take his ashes home with me that night, I will have cremated with him an offering consisting of three tennis balls, a dog biscuit, a photo of me and his sister Erde, and notes from the two us, all contained in a Frosty Paws box. The three tennis balls are there because that's how many he got in his mouth at once.  The photo (shown here) shows me giving him the hand signal he knew for "good dog."  As for the treat and container, I will never forget the look on his face whenever I said, "Who wants a treat?" or "Who wants a Frosty Paws?"

Dear, dear Leben,

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for more than 13 glorious years.  You and your sister, Erde, brought so much joy into my life.  I had no idea that any creature could be as loyal, obedient and noble as you were.  How proud i was to have you by my side.  You were the centerpiece of my life.  Indeed, you were my life, giving truth to the name I chose for you so well.  How lucky I was to be the one to be your and Erde's guardian.  Someday, the three of us shall be together again.  Until then, sleep peacefully, my buddy.  You truly were a good dog, a magnificent dog.  I pray that you can forgive me for the many mistakes i made with you, and that I made up for them.

  

You respected every command i ever gave you during your life here.  But here is the one command  i have been fearing  to give... Run free, you  magnificent dog, run free.

Love, your  human Dad. 

Hey, Bro.  Thanks for 93  fun-filled years.  We sure gave our human dad a run for his money.  I'll take good care of him until I can join you, probably sooner than later, and then our job is done.  Sleep well, my pack mate, until our life here is no more and we are one again with each other and the earth.  Erde.

lll 

Note:  Any errors appearing in this message were caused by the iPad.

Leben, 2001-2014

Two weeks ago, I posted elsewhere that I was quite mindful of how lucky I was to have two healthy German shepherd siblings, Leben and Erde, for more than 13 years.  Today, that luck ran out.  I lost my shadow.  On Monday, two days after Leben swam his weekly quarter mile, and on the day I was to start packing for our 6th road trip together, I discovered a large fast growing tumor on his head.  He was put down at 1:00 p.m. today at home after he rapidly declined over the last four days, lost his pleasant life and started to suffer. After five futile attempts, nature finally found a hideous way to take down his magnificent dog.

I do not think that I have ever bonded with any creature, human or canine, more than I bonded with Leben.  Nor did I ever think that it was possible that a dog could be as loyal and obedient as this magnificent creature was.  If the periods of our lives are cataloged in terms of how we spend our time and whom we love, Leben, and with him his sister Erde, would be the only way I could possibly describe these last 13 years. 

Over the course of Leben's 13 years, we traveled more than 50,000 miles over 250 days on five road-camping trips together, twice reaching the ends of the road in he northeast, in Labrador, and the ends of the road in the northwest in both Alaska and Northwest Territories in Canada, among many other places. The joyous memories Leben and Erde gave me on those trips, and at home, will last me for the rest of my life.

On Monday, I will take Leben to the pet crematory, where I will stay by his side until I can take his ashes home.  His biggest treat in life was to be with me, so I will honor that even in his death. 

I miss that magnificent dog so much already.

ED
8 August 2014