Saturday, March 21, 2009

Forever..........home.

In rescue we talk about foster homes, and forever homes. We work to pull dogs from shelters, or bring them into programs as surrenders from owners who no longer want or can care for them. Finding that forever home is what we plan for, long for, dream of. Sometimes it doesn't work out like we planned.


Sometimes there is a bigger plan, and try as we might we cannot comprehend why it plays out like it does. We question and second guess, and wish with all our heart we could have done more.


Such is the case of Sidney. I write with a heavy heart, because Sidney is forever........home. His home is not what I envisioned. And yet, it is a place of comfort and joy, because his home is on the other side of the bridge.


He was loved with all our hearts. He was safe, warm and knew the good life. He learned to be his best silly Sidney self. Such a gift to learn to be yourself. He had, in these seven months, the best a dog could hope for. And we had the best he had to offer.


From the beginning we were prepared to love him enough to let him go. Little did we know that letting him go would include holding him as he crossed the bridge. We may never know if it was some kind of poison that took him, or an obstruction of some kind. I know I'll always wonder and wish I'd done more.


Sidney, sweet Okie Boy, is home, forever home. In the pines out in the garden he'll rest, close to my heart, close to the butterflies and squirrels he loved to watch.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am so sorry to hear this ... my heart is heavy with yours ... as you note, he is home.

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh, I am actually crying as I write this. I feel like I know Sidney personally from reading all of your blogs. This must be such a shock for you...it's hard enough when you know it's going to happen. I am so glad you gave him a good loving home. He seemed like such a super dog. You all will be in my thoughts and prayers as will sweet Sidney.