When it became apparent that our 20-year-old Jack Russell Terrier was fading, I used her last lucid hours to take her around to visit all the people she had known and who knew her. She rode on a pillow in my youngest son's lap, and she looked like she was having a good time, as long as she was with us. I took her to my son's house and he said goodbye, and my Dad's house. While he was saying goodbye, my eldest son happened to call, and though he was far away we got to share some moments together focused on her. She had a tail wag and a lick for everyone who saw her.

Then I dropped off my son at home, and took her to the vet. Thankfully, there was no one else there waiting at that time (they do walk-in only), so we had a nice, quiet moment with her as her life ended.

Everything I did was for the people who were living beyond her time here--not just for her. I wrote an email to our friends, with some pictures and some stories. That was enough. I would never think of keeping her ashes or burying her. I think the physical body should return to the place from which it came, back into the energy stream. But everyone should do what helps them best cope with the loss.

Karen