Passing Away

Who in your life who has passed away is most memorable or meaningful to you?

Hmm... This is an interesting question. As of late many people in my life have passed away, which has been hard on my family. Last summer, both of my grandpa's parents passed away, and just recently, my other great-grandfather and one of the accepted grandparents in our family did as well. By accepted I mean she is the wife of my grandma's step dad. All that's left is my grandmother's step-father. However of all of these people that have recently passed away, I wasn't particularily close to them. I vauguely remember some of them.

The only one that passed away that was extremely meaningful to me, as odd as it may sound, was my dog, Natron. He was my dog from the time I was about 4. He lived with us for 12 years and lived a happy life, though not a very healthy one towards the end. He was the greatest dog on the planet, very smart, almost human-like. He would sleep with me and keep me company, and while I was away from my dad's, he would still sleep in my bed, waiting for my return. He would always greet me with a kind and friendly lick and was always there when I needed comfort.

He would eat popcorn with us when we watched movies and he would always love to come to the beach with us or go on family vacations. Most of all he loved being outdoors. He was a hunting dog, and he loved what he did. He always had fun, and even to the very end he always wanted to get out and chase the birds. It was just that he couldn't anymore.

I remember very clearly the last stretch. My dad and his girlfriend had to go get the new truck from North Carolina in April of 08. I was down at my Aunt's house, watching over Noah, as well as her kids and the dogs, both Nate and Kai, who was still pretty small at the time.

We were going to be there from Friday night until early, like 2 am-ish early, Monday morning. Nate had been refusing to eat anything for a week by that time. I knew he was sick, and I knew it was time, but my dad insisted on keeping him around just a little longer, he had hoped until the ground had unthawed so we could bury him in a nice place that much easier. But with as skinny as he was getting, I knew it wouldn't be long. Soon, we had to move him in and out of the house on blankets and towels, and despite the fact that it was freezing outside, we had to keep him out there because he had no control over himself, bowels included.

My cousins kept wanting me to go inside, because I would get sick, which I did a little less than two days later. I sat outside in the rain with him, keeping his towels and blankets clean and covering him with newer, dryer, warmer ones. I even covered him with my own sweatshirt.

April 7, 2008. The decision had come down to it. We had to put him down...

It was an extremely hard day for the entire family. And it still is a little hard for us. We had buried Nate next to the pond where he loved to swim around and chase the ducks and geese and pheasants.

RIP My beloved Natron