"When the Man woke up he said,'What is Wild Dog doing here?'
And the Woman said,
'His name is not Wild Dog any more,
but the First Friend,
because he will be our friend
for always and always and always.'"
- Rudyard Kipling
Their is so much to say when you lose your very best friend and not enough words to say it. I think Rudyard Kipling said it well for my husband and I.
22 comments:
I am so very sorry. I teared up reading the poem, your words, and viewing the images of wonderful Degas.
It is the loss in our lives of such loving and dedicated friends that we mourn, and doesn't matter if they have two legs or four, they are our friends. One thing is for certain, Degas knew he was truly loved, and the endearing spirit of Degas continues forever.
Thanks so much Tina. He was the best. We live in a very small town and everyone knew and loved Degas. He was a little man stuck in a dog suit!
He was perfectly fine one night, doing his usual swim in the Delaware, playing his favorite game of 12 years known as "hockey rock" and chowing down on a big bowl of lamb.
By morning he was in the emergency animal hospital bleeding internally from a tumor(apparently there were many ) by his heart which we never knew existed.
We do not have children, we had dogs and he was our baby. It was unfortunate he did not live as long as his two "sisters" who were well into their teens when they passed on.
In the 12 years we had him he left our side only one weekend. He travelled all around the country with us and was a fixture at my studio and my husbands shop. We are really going to miss him.
Sandra, I'm so sorry. The wonderful photos make your sorrow palpable all the way across the country. He had the best face; such a dignified & kind-hearted gaze. That last photo of him - the close up, sitting on the porch - is just perfect. The antennae ear hair and goatee he sported made him look so wise. I would have sat on the stoop and made up troubles just to get his advice.
Thanks so much Belinda. He really was an amazing, special guy. I have had a dog or dogs my entire life. We really know the creatures and he was that once in a lifetime kind of dog.
A walk through our charming little town takes about 10 minutes when Degas was with you it turned into about two hours. Everyone that knew him had to say hello and if they didn't know him they had to meet him.
People in town have been sending cards and flowers! I can not believe it.We will miss him dearly.
You can expect some dog paintings coming soon.
Sandra, really sorry to hear about Degas. What a trooper he was. You will miss him so much but it sounds like he'll be around in spirit for a long time to come I think.
Thanks Sheila.
He will be!
I'm so sorry about Degas. One thing is obvious; he was loved and he had a wonderful home with you and your husband.
Thanks Leslie. All our "babies" were great and yes they were so loved!
They are creatures that pull at your heart strings. Always faithful and happy to see you. When our 11 year Penny (terrier-poodle) died a few years back, her absence inside our house was palpable and all you could feel was emptiness inside. My thoughts are with you!
Thanks Alvin. I can certainly see you've been there.
What a precious, wonderful dog he must have been! I'm so sorry for your loss. We have a dog like that and I can't bear to imgaine being without him. May he always be in your hearts!
Thanks Lynn.
He will surely be in our hearts, always.
Sandra, I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. What a grand dog Degas was! They are all special in their own way of course but we're sometimes blessed with a special bond with a particular pet that we realize may only come along once in our lifetime. It sometimes seems unfair that dogs and cats have such a short lifespan compared to that of us and other animals. All the more reason for them to be blessed with owners like yourselves who give them a great life during their short stay on earth - I know Degas had a great one.
Thanks so much Rebecca. Degas was that one in a million dog that we all hope to have at least once in our lives. He was the unofficial "mayor" of my small town of 1400 people.
It is very unfair that they don't live long lives but at least Degas and all the wonderful furry loves we had lived well!
I was sorry to read about your loss. What a beautiful, wise face. I know you will paint some amazing paintings with him as the subject
Thanks KJ,
He loved to pose for the camera, He really did and
he would put that serious face on. But when the lights came down, he lived up to his full, fun, terrier/lab mix
reputation!
We miss him terribly.
So sorry for your loss.
Adieu, sweet Degas. xx
Thanks Pat.
I am very sad to hear about your huge loss. We do not have children - we have dogs. When we lost our girly hound in January, time stood still. We have now adopted two new family hounds and I have not stopped painting dogs since.
Thanks so much Anna. I know exactly what you mean by time standing still.
Sandra...when I read in your comments that you have no children..I felt a kinship. I used to be a "dog person" but somehow or another got converted into a "cat person". I imagine it is because I don't have children that these furry monsters are a super high priority. I've lost a couple now--and, like you and your husband, I was crushed. I am sorry to read of Degas passing--but I do like to think that that whole "rainbow bridge" thing might be for real. For certainly if there is a heaven for people--there is one for our dogs and cats.......because--they are better than people! Hugs to you.
p.s. you are a super artist. Love the portraits.
Sandra I am so very sorry to hear about
Degas. What a terrible loss, I'm so sorry.
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