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OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa

0 posted 2013-04-29 11:00 AM



ELEVEN YEARS AGO YESTERDAY
29 April 2013

You,
Flicka,
the horse-angel
of my dreams
and my reality
of twenty and a half years together,
and my unabated joys,
left this earth
eleven years ago
yesterday
after thirty-seven and a half years
that you blessed this earth.

All those who met you
instantly felt your love
for all humanity and living creatures.
Horses and dogs and cats and ducks
and people
were drawn to you
and automatically were unafraid of you
and loved you
as you loved them.

We had all sorts of conversations
about succulent grass
and how the rotation of the earth
on its tilted axis
causes day and night
and how the revolution of the earth
around the sun
causes the seasons
and I miss those conversations so much.
Nobody else listens to me as you did
nor nuzzles me in agreement.

I forever feel your forever love
every day
in the sky and cloud messages
you and Tigger and Daisy paint me
as you all gambol across the sky.
Forgive me my darling horse
that I still cry my eyes out
without you.

I know
that you know
that I don’t begrudge you your happiness in Heaven
and I know that you and Tigger and Daisy
will await me when I join you,
but my sweet, sweet, horse,
it is so difficult without you.
Time doesn’t heal.

Owl

© Copyright 2013 Diana van den Berg - All Rights Reserved
EmmaRose
Senior Member
since 2011-03-02
Posts 1376
Midwest
1 posted 2013-04-29 07:31 PM


Your eloquent words give credence to the
manner in which an animal can have a most profound impact on our lives and how safe we feel loving them knowing they are incapable of such 'human' qualities as greed, deceit, abuse, rudeness, etc....the list goes on.
How wonderful to have the opportunity to feel this deeply about your dear ones.

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
2 posted 2013-04-30 02:35 AM


Thank you, EmmaRose, for your compassionate understanding.  For many, many others, some whom I hardly knew or didn’t know at all, Flicka was a legend and a loving and loved friend.  For me, he was my life, my rock, my joy - and my time with him was the highlight of my every day for the 20½ years that we belonged to each other, during the 37½ years he spent on earth.  

Owl

Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774
Ontario, Canada
3 posted 2013-04-30 09:54 AM


This put a lump in my throat, yet a smile on my face Owl. You have captured your friendship beautifully.

This brings back a host of wonderful memories of my own furry friends who have lovingly passed. Thank you for this lovely read this morning.

Best wishes,
/Kit

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
4 posted 2013-04-30 11:20 AM


Thank you, Kit.  Flicka was the most wonderful horse on the planet.  I was so very, very blessed to have been his mother for 20½ years.  I have always said that the level of pain at the loss, shows the greatness of the gift, and oh boy, do I know how greatly I was blessed.  

Owl

Lighthousebob
Member Elite
since 2000-06-14
Posts 4725
California
5 posted 2013-05-02 06:03 PM


What a nice tribute to Flicka and the relationship you had together, (Sigh of condolence), but, at the same time, you did put a smile of optimism on my face because of your faith that Flicka as well as your other pets have gathered together in their painting of the sky and in wait for your arrival.  Enjoyed!     
OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
6 posted 2013-05-02 08:35 PM


Thank you, Bob, for your beautiful and compassionate reply.

Owl

Marchmadness
Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271
So. El Monte, California
7 posted 2013-05-07 09:02 PM


"It has been said," 'time heals all wounds'
I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting it's sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessons, but it is never gone."
                         Rose Kennedy
Hugs, Diana.
          Ida

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
8 posted 2013-05-08 01:20 AM


Thanks for understanding so well, Ida, and for the hugs.  Rose Kennedy is right, not that I have experienced too much lessening of the pain, though.

Owl

2islander2
Member Ascendant
since 2008-03-12
Posts 6825
by the sea
9 posted 2013-05-08 01:31 AM


hello Diana, your feelings are so true, I am proud to know flicka and honoring animals in their gentleness and friendship, I was so surprised three days a go, when I dreamt of a dog called "Jam" who died 20 years ago, this meant that animals are really sharing life with us....
have a nice day


yann

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
10 posted 2013-05-08 02:30 AM


Thank you for your beautiful reply, Yann, and especially thank you for being proud to know Flicka - that means such a lot to me.  

Thank you for loving Jam.  I am sure that he/she, in Heaven, knows that you dreamed of him/her.

At the moment I am trying to save the life of a dog called Rambo who can be killed by the SPCA any day if he they haven't already done so.  It is a long story that I don't have time to tell now.  Time is of the essence, and I have to do everything I can.  Have to rush.

Owl

suthern
Deputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Seraphic
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723
Louisiana
11 posted 2013-05-08 03:48 PM


and I miss those conversations so much.
Nobody else listens to me as you did
nor nuzzles me in agreement.

I forever feel your forever love
every day

The entire poem touches me deeply - but you know why these lines go straight to my heart... and down my cheeks in tears.

We are lucky to have shared their lives and known such love and delighted in their personalities... but oh, their passings leave so much empty.

Hugs to you.

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
12 posted 2013-05-08 03:57 PM


Yes, Ruth, I do know.  It is so true that the greatness of the pain in their passing is because of the greatness of the gift of them in the first place, but that doesn't stop the pain.  Thank you for your kindness and compassion, to me, to my beloved animals and to yours.  You are indeed a blessing to us all.

Owl

JamesMichael
Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA
13 posted 2013-05-08 10:30 PM


Fine emotional writing...I believe that time does heal as we are able to let go...still I know that no one wants to let go of love...yet it is the attachments we must release not the love...James
OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
14 posted 2013-05-09 02:52 AM


Thanks for your reply, James.  You are welcome to your opinion.  However, it is not a case of what I must or must not do.  I choose the attachment and I won't let it go.  I need it and I want it.

Owl

JamesMichael
Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336
Kapolei, Hawaii, USA
15 posted 2013-05-09 10:44 PM


Forgive me if you believe I am telling you what you must do...James
Alison
Deputy Moderator 5 ToursDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-27
Posts 9318
Lumpy oatmeal makes me crazy!
16 posted 2013-05-10 01:18 AM


We had all sorts of conversations
about succulent grass
and how the rotation of the earth
on its tilted axis
causes day and night
and how the revolution of the earth
around the sun
causes the seasons
and I miss those conversations so much.
Nobody else listens to me as you did
nor nuzzles me in agreement.

----

What wonderful conversations you and your Flicka shared, Wol.  Perhaps she is writing poetry in the clouds that you look up at - to share her poetry with you.

xoxoxo
Alison

OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
17 posted 2013-05-10 02:00 AM


Nothing to forgive and no hard feelings, James.  Just had to say that I am not letting go of the connection as he (my horse, Flicka) was my life for 20½ years (he was 37½ human years old when he went to Heaven and fit and healthy up to 6 days before he went to Heaven) and I am not letting go of it, as that connection with him is my life and sustains me, as is the connection with my dog, Daisy who was 14½ when she went to Heaven, and my cat, Tigger, who was 15½ when he went to Heaven.

Thank you Alison, for your lovely message.  You are right.  He and Tigger and Daisy write me cloud and sky messages every day.  That started before he went to Heaven.  Gilbert, the head groom (who had been working at the stables for 30 years), went to Heaven 3 months and 15 days before him and sent Flicka and me cloud messages every day and Flicka and I talked about it.  That was where he got the idea from when he went to Heaven.  I think Gilbert may have taught him how.  Then when Daisy went to Heaven, Flicka taught Daisy to help him.  Then when Tigger went to Heaven, Flicka and Daisy taught him and now they do it all together.  I don't care if anyone reading this thinks I am crazy.  

Owl

Alison
Deputy Moderator 5 ToursDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Rara Avis
since 2008-01-27
Posts 9318
Lumpy oatmeal makes me crazy!
18 posted 2013-05-10 12:37 PM


I think you are wonderful.
OwlSA
Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347
Durban, South Africa
19 posted 2013-05-10 02:41 PM


Thank you, Alison.  You have no idea how much I appreciate that and how it is helping to keep the bits of me together.  It couldn't have come at a better time.  

I want to tell you about Rambo, a dog, when I am strong enough, but that isn't now.  I will email you about him when I am.

I am sure you know that I think you are wonderful too, but just in case you don't, I do.

Wol

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