Gerry had to leave me in September. I lost track of keeping all things Gerry sacred, and his leash belonged outside and so it weathered this winter on top of an old hose holder. The snow covered it for most of the season and so I didn’t ‘notice’ it.
Now that spring has thawed everything out, I find myself looking at this 12 foot lead that my dog walkers gave me when they met Gerry 7 years ago. It has a LOT of knots in it, to step on, to stop him from running too far ahead of us.
It looks like a snake that couldn’t take it in the desert anymore and found respite on y porch. It never Once broke, although I let go of it many a time when I couldn’t keep up with him. Can you see how very red it used to be?
Answer me this….WHAT am I to with this beloved piece of leash that my boy had since day one of Leashes taking care of him…? I am TIRED of being blindsided by hurt.
I thin=I ‘ll get a memory box of sorts and include this; I can NOT throw it away! I buried him with his collar and tags, because it didn’t t look like him without them around his neck. But this leash isn’t something I ever considered or noticed all fall, but now that I have an EMPTY spring…I really ‘saw’ the leash.
I think the memory box is a great idea. It will hold all things Gerry as you find them. I have not been smart enough to do that yet… needless to say I find Rosie things when I least expect them and it just stops my heart every time. Maybe I need a cool memory box too. I picture it old fashioned “suitcase” style with a handle and a metal piece that snaps down and holds the lid shut… that’s a really good idea.. a memory box.
❤❤❤
Slowly, but eventually, I took down the wooden boxes that had Gerry like statement on them, and have yet to put them int he basement….but they’re aren’t in the kitchen window at least. It’s a “put away” as you see fit kind of thing. I still have many photos on y main shelf, and a book that my dog walkers gave me. I don’t look at them all the time, but didn’t put the away yet. I don’ t have children ,just to mention as well.
A memory box is a good idea. I have a memory box for Rocky. One side has his ashes and the other has locks of fur and his final tennis ball. I have Rocky’s leash, next to Baxter’s, on a plaque on my wall.
But – and you may not want to to this – I’m also thinking you could hang up your leash or shape it into a frame of sorts and hang photos of Gerry off of it. With the faded red, if you could shape it into a heart and then hang photos of Gerry off each of the knots maybe?
I never commented before this, because again, I’m so TIRED. This is my first summer, since Gerry came to me, that is without him. I’m a school teacher and this week was our last week of school. I didn’t get to kiss him on the nose and tell him I was ALL his for the next two months, this June. Moments like this, it stops me, and I’ve gone through it all of this school year.
September 2017 was almost precisely one year from his diagnosis to death. NOT that he didn’t go through THE amputation, chemo pills, and scads others…He did..He tried…my silent warrior…but I lost my best friend anyway. The leash is still out there…precisely where I left it and took the photos of. I can see a heart in one of the pictures. I like idea of a free form photo collage, like you suggested. I wanted to say thank you for the idea, because it was so hard for me when you originally sent it to me, and it was so kind of you. Whatever it is I do, I’ll let you know. Now that I don’t have to concentrate on 24 third graders, I think I’ll figure it out.
I made a memory box of Nitro that hangs in my bedroom. Its a year in July that he left us, so I feel your pain.
Paula and Warrior Angel Nitro