Saying Goodbye

Tonight was a sad one. My brother's dog was struck by a car and though we were able to get him to the veterinarian, we were not able to save him :'( ... It's always hard when you lose a pet because they are more than that, they are best friends and family, but it is especially hard when you have to make the call whether to sustain them for a few more days or let their suffering end where they can pass on peacefully. That was the difficult decision we had to make tonight.

In times like this I have always been the one to pray, a tendency that I gained during my Christian upbringing. In this particular situation, I pray for the safe passing of the individual's soul to the afterlife and often for the healing of those who feel that loss. The beauty of prayer, whether pagan or Christian or another religion, is that the words can either be scripted or freely formed at that moment. I usually say what is in my heart at the moment but I do have a few scripted favorites, a few of them fitting for this event.



Prayer for a euthanized pet:
I have loved you from the day you came into my life, and now it is time for me to let you go.
I could not watch you suffer.
I could not see you in pain.
Now you are free.
Your body is no longer sick, or weak, or hurting.
Now you can run with the others, playing and hunting as wild things do.
Because I loved you, I had to let you go.
You will live forever in my heart.

Prayer for a deceased loved one:
Beloved one, you are dead, but you are not alone.
We are here with you, the beloved dead await you.
You go from love into love.
Carry with you only love.
May our love carry you and open the way.

This is not a prayer but I think the lyrics of Toby Keith's "Crying For Me" song perfectly illustrates the pain that losing a loved one brings, whether it be a pet or a parent.

I'm gonna miss you my friend
Even though it hurts the way it ended up
I'd do it all again
I'm not crying cause I feel so sorry for you
I'm crying for me

We love you Bandit, and we will always love you baby boy and we will always miss you. You left a hole no one else will ever fill but you brought happiness and laughter with you while you were ours and for that we will forever be grateful.