In Memory of Our Sweet Tara

Who Lost Her Battle with Cancer
May 15, 1998 - April 16, 2008
5:15 PM

A Special Place

You have a special place, Dear Lord
That I know you always keep
A special place reserved for dogs
To peacefully fall asleep.
A place with fluffy pillows,
And a yard for hiding bones,
With maybe a little babbling creek,
That rushes over stones.
With wide green fields and beaches,
For those who never knew
Of running, playing freely
Under sky of perfect blue.
Lord, I know you keep this special place,
And so, to you I pray
For one oh so special dog
Who came to you today.
She was full of strength and love,
And so very, very wise.
The puppy look she once had,
This morning left her eyes.
She will be dearly missed, Lord,
This special love of ours.
But now, she romps and plays
In your land that so divine.
Speak to my baby softly, please
With a hug and warm hello.
She is a special gift to you, Dear Lord
From us who loves her so.

A "GOLDEN" GOOD-BYE

I sit and try to write the words, I want your heart to hear.
Hoping to find some comfort, but the fact is your not here.
I look out into the open beach, that you once occupied,
Knowing now the beach is empty, cause my love, you've died.
I do believe with all my heart, that your soul has gone to be,
With all the other angel dogs, that you were meant to see.
We will have to stay behind, until God calls us too,
So do not be afraid, that he's only called for you.
The water is still, in the lake that you played,
And your bed is so empty, where your pretty head laid.
Our bed is to empty, where you once laid between,
the two people who LOVED you and now only dream,
That one day our eyes will shut one last time,
and you will come greet us, angel of mine.
Until then, I'll keep trying to see through my tears,
with memories you left us, to reflect through the years.
We'll never forget one minute we spent,
of loving and laughing, of places we went.
And I dread the day that your scent disappears,
for it's "proof" to me, Tara, that you were just here!
But one day will come, when we'll start to see through,
the pain of the moment, and remember just "you".
Now you go and play, and look down when you can,
remembering we love you, and this isn't the end.

A Parting Prayer
Dear Lord, please open your gates
and call St. Francis
to come escort this beloved companion
across the Rainbow Bridge.

Assign her to a place of honor,
for she has been a faithful servant
and has always done her best to please us.

Bless the hands that sent her to you,
for they are doing so in love and compassion,
freeing her from pain and suffering.

Grant us the strength not to dwell on our loss.
Help us remember the details of her life
with the love she has shown us.
And grant us the courage to honor her
by sharing those memories with others.

Let her remember us as well
and let her know that we will always love her.
And when it's our time to pass over into your paradise,
please allow her to accompany those
who will bring us home.

Thank you, Lord,
for the gift of her companionship
and for the time we've had together.

And thank you, Lord,
for granting us the strength
to give her to you now.

"One who possessed beauty
without vanity,
strength without insolence,
courage without ferocity,
and all the virtues of man,
without his vices.
This praise would be unmeaning flattery
if inscribed over human ashes,
but is a just tribute
to the memory of my dog."