4.16: Beauty - Goodbye, Beautiful Old Man

It was time. We put down Guenie and Ruckus on Thursday; we walked their old, tired, aching, but still beautiful bodies into the Humane Society and handed them over to be humanely put to sleep. I wrestled with it for months. Ruckus had good days and bad days, and on his good days I felt guilty. But on his bad days, I knew it was time. I knew he was in pain and he was confused.

And when we moved to our new place, the animals were confused and anxious, and so we knew. We knew that they had lived long, rich lives, and it was time for them to rest.

But it didn't stop the tears, and it doesn't stop that I keep looking for them in the house. It doesn't stop my 7-year old from crying at random times. It doesn't get around the fact that I need to explain death to him, but an atheist's view of death, so I don't get to turn to "you'll see him again" and "he's playing in a field now".

I only get goodbye.

What is NGS's beauty post about?