I’ve never done a memorial service for a pet in my life, but I knew I wanted to say a few words over Duke. I don’t know why his death affected me almost more than his life. Perhaps it was the realization after he was gone of how much a part of our daily lives he had been and how different life would be going forward. Regardless, I knew what I wanted to say, to sing, and what words from the Order of Service of Burial from an old Methodist hymnal I would use.
We sat on the tailgate for a bit after the burial and marker placement were done, resting our aching backs and arms, comfortable in the peaceful silence of early evening. The distant moo of cows, the call of birds and the chirping of the cicadas floated over us. I thought again how appropriate this place was as a burial spot for Duke. Visible from the Ranch house and within walking distance, close the edge of The Grove, at the base of Duke Hill overlooking one of the duck ponds. It had been a long, hard day but it was time now to complete the task for which we had made this trip.
I grabbed my hymnal and scooted off the tailgate. Standing at the foot of the grave, facing the marker and my husband still sitting on the tailgate, I began.
“Duke, this isn’t how we’d like you to be here. We’d prefer you to be running around, on a duck hunt, or just trotting after Paul as he does Ranch chores. But just like what will happen with us, your time to pass has come. You’ve had a good long life and like the Bible says man is created in God’s image to be responsible stewards over the rest of His creation. It is hard to be here without you but we are grateful you are not suffering any more.”
I reminded Paul of the circumstances in which I learned that Blessed Assurance was Duke’s favorite hymn, then I sang the first and last stanzas. Of all the hymns I tried once while dog-sitting Duke, then a young lab, this was the only one that quieted him during a thunderstorm. I like to think he was comforted by it this last time.
Paul said a few words about what Duke had meant to him, then I closed us out with the end of the service and a prayer. This long, difficult day was over. The sadness and teary eyes were not over, and it would take time to get used to fact that Sir Duke was at the Ranch on a permanent basis. But we had honored him well, had done the right thing and had the bone-tiredness to show for it.
Kim Robinson is an author living in Austin, TX. She and her husband have six children and fourteen grandchildren and enjoy spending time with family. Passionate about parenting, she writes and speaks about a variety of issues facing parents and professionals dealing with teenagers in crisis. She enjoys speaking at retreats and to various organizations.
Kim's debut novel, Chased by Grace - A Story of Survival, is available now.