my heart feels like it was ripped from my chest, but those of you who have
lost ferrets know how that feels.  Words can't describe the emptiness and
ache I feel in my stomach.  I felt so empty the night he died, I sat
alone in my room with a box of woven wheat crackers and just kept eating
and eating, hoping that empty feeling would go away.  It didn't.
 
I knew it would hurt when I lost Harley.  I've lost ferrets so many times
before, including my own.  Somehow, Harley had touched me in ways that no
ferret ever has and I know it will take much longer for me to get over
his loss.
 
Harley was a little bugger.  So many times I'd hear myself saying "HARLEY!
You little bugger!  Look what you did to mommie's (plants, glasses,
dishes, sea monkeys, movies, purse etc.  etc.)" Bugger got shortened to
Bug and so Harley got the nik-name "Bug".
 
Harley battled Actinomyces, E.coli, Pseudomonas, C. Perfringens, Adrenal
Disease and many, many other ailments throughout his life.  He was a
spirited fighter and a happy go lucky ferret right to the end of his
life.  Many of you met him and could never tell he was a sick boy.  He
never let on to anyone just how sick he was, even in the end.  I'll love
him forever.
 
Thank you all for the cards, e-mails and flowers.  I know many of you
loved Harley and so many of you have shared your outpouring of grief over
the loss of Harls.  It means a lot to me to know he was loved and honored
by so many of you.  I will respond to all of you, in time.  Right now, I
need to figure out how to get some sleep and I need some alone time to
grieve the loss of my best friend.
 
Harley "Bug", my heart, my soul, my angel and devil wrapped all in one,
you have taken my soul with you over the Bridge and the emptiness will
never go away until one day i am reunited with you.  I always looked at
you like a beloved immortal.  Nothing ever kept you down and you seemed
like you would live forever.  Tonight I grieve for you, sitting by your
cage and reading the cards and smelling the flowers.  Tonight, you sleep
with the angels.
 
I'll miss telling you to leave grandma alone cuz she has no more treats
and I'll miss the trouble you always seemed to get yourself into.  i'll
miss spending time with you at the pet shows and educational days and
although it was hard, i'll miss the long drives with you to Guelph and
spending the days there with you.  I would have driven to the ends of the
earth for you my little "Bug".  I'm so sorry Harley, that I wasn't there
for you in the end, when you took your very last breath.  I didn't know
you'd be leaving so soon.
 
Thank you for coming into my life and sharing your ups and downs with me.
You enriched my entire existence with every passing day.  I am grateful
for every day I spent with you and feel so blessed that you were a part
of my life.  You were truly MY hero.
 
You taught me to be care free and believe in the unbelievable, you taught
me that miracles do happen when i had no faith, you taught me to fight
when i felt i couldn't go on, you taught me to be strong when I was so
weak, you taught me how to lift my own spirits when i was down, you taught
me the true meaning of friendship when i didn't know, you taught me how to
express my feelings when i was clamed up, but most importantly, you taught
me that love is unconditional.  You taught me that love freely given,
never dies, love lives forever.  And so shall you, in my heart, thoughts
and prayers.  Rest in peace, my immortal beloved.  i'll see you soon
enough.  i love you.
 
Randy Melanie Belair
President
The Ferret Aid Society
"For The Love of Our Fuzzy Friends"
http://www.ferretaid.org
 
Donate to our shelter on-line
http://www.canadahelps.org/public/content/Donate/DispCharityProfile.asp
?cid=55479&lang=e
[Posted in FML issue 3828]