When Comrades die

[Stillraining]

Good comrades come and go in ones life but the best ones the ones that reach deep into your inter core and touch in ways you thought not possible ...the ones that make a difference in your life are hard to loose.



We sailors of the sea are a bit of a romantic lot even if hidden under a grizzled and hardened stare...it lingers still deep within as that is the driving force in which our love for the sea first arose from.



Like sailing on the ocean's waves we learn to plot our way through the crests and troughs of life in much the same manor...our plotted course may have to be altered at some point due to a storm on the horizon or ones that descend on us in the night.



We try to be prepared for all eventualities as best we can..storing up knowledge and practicing ways to steady our ship against those storms and ill tempered waves...the rogues are the ones we dread and cannot predict..prepare for them all you want but seldom will it prove of much good for you are at the mercy of uncontrollable forces and can do little but just hang on and wait for the ensuing turmoil to run its course.



The storms of life like the tide are guaranteed...how well we are anchored to solid ground and or the quality and trust in our ship if caught away from a safe port is what will keep us in good stead...it is a comforting place to be to trust in something at a high degree of magnitude...but ruin can still come upon us in a moments notice.



As much as I prepare and ready myself for life's storms... for me I have learned my best anchor is my faith...trusting that if I set my sails according to his sail plan all things he is working for my good...it my involve pain...it may involve heart ache and may even require losses and setback that make no sense at the time....but like the distance horizon we have little knowledge of what lies ahead.



Faith...in you ship..in your abilities..in a positive outcome are all essential to crossing the seas of the world and the wave tossed sea of life.



Loosing part of your fleet be that Son or daughter, wife or husband or any loved one is hard to bear...loosing a comrade is so as well.



Today my family mourns for not such noble causes ..and surly not so painful of one by any measure either...but morn we do just the same... for this comrade , this horse has been a family friend and a companion and friend to us all and especially for my eldest daughter for this is her trusted comrade.



A decade is not long enough of a friendship and there are some of you here I hope to have in my life for far longer then that... for touched within I have been by you ..better as a person I have become because of you...and thankful to be considered by some as your comrade.



My daughter has yet to learn the passing of her best friend...thank you for letting me prepare and practice for the rouge she will soon be hit by.



Fair Winds



Your comrade Scott

[smackdaddy]

Oh man - I'm really sorry Scott. That is truly a beautiful animal.

God bless you guys.

[jrd22]

Scott- very well written post. Our animal companions become a part of us and when they are gone a part of us feels gone as well. We had a "community" horse at our garden site here on the island for years that all of us fed and took care of, gave her carrots from the garden and apples from the orchard, daily trips in the winter for hay and to break ice out of the water trough. She was too old to ride, just a lot of work when it gets right down to it. She had to be put down a year or so ago and I still miss her every time I go up there. Your daughter is fortunate to have a father that understands her feelings at a difficult time.
John

[Stillraining]

Thanks guys

[CalebD]

Scott,
What fine words you have prepared for your daughter and her favorite steed. Scientists like to tell us that us humans are superior and above the rest of the animals in this world in intellect, reasoning and language. There are some things that scientists cannot measure accurately and that is the emotional component that our favorite non-human friends share with us. I think that we get very attached to our animals (and they to us) in part, because there is not much dependence on language for the bond to develop. They depend on us and we depend on them. No back talk, or not much anyway. They can be obstinate and willful just like people but at least they can't talk in our language. They also seem to be willing to forget past transgressions and live in the moment which is a characteristic sadly lacking in most humans. Animals can also remember bad treatment such that they will never forgive you just like a human. In many ways I find that our animal friends are almost more 'human' then we are to each other.
Dogs in particular kill me on an emotional level. I suppose that horses can develop an even more intense bond with people who THEY let ride them. I watched 'Old Yeller' (yes, the dog movie/book that I read when I was about 10 years old, 40 years ago) tonight and I still had the normal human physiological response when the boy had to shoot 'Old Yeller' because of rabies or hydrophobia: tears.
It is still the passing of an old friend or comrade (as you put it) and it is still sad. They may not have spoken at all in the traditional sense of language but their presence will be missed.
Recently we got a young cat (my avatar picture) and I find that she is always talking to me whenever she looks my way. Maybe it is harder to say good bye to our non verbal animal friends because it is hard to express what they did say to us in their own ways. I always seem to insert myself into the conversation as the interpreter but I find that I am largely correct.
Horses are one of man's best friends too.
My best to you and your family on your loss of a good friend, companion and comrade.

[Faster]

Scott.. very sorry to hear of this, it will be a difficult time for your daughter but it's clear she has and will have the support she'll need..

Our sympathies.
R&E

[canadianseamonkey]

Scott, I feel for you and totally understand.

Animals give us unconditional love. All they require in return is food and attention, yet some people can't even do that. My wife and I are huge pet lovers. We had one of our cats pass away in July and then our dog in October. Not one day goes by that we don't think or talk about them. Our society has much to learn about unconditional love and learning from animals is a great start.

Our condolences to you and your family. Our prayers are with you.

Ray and Sue

[Izzy1414]

Scott,

Very well said.

Everyone else,

+1

Condolences to your family, Scott.

Doug

[djodenda]

Scott:

Somewhere at our house right now are two cats; Mojo and Murphy. We got them last month from an animal rescue on Whidbey Island.

Our other cats, Ellie and Emily. both died with the past 18 months. They were 19 and 20 years old respectively.

That's a long time for cats to live, and we were very close to them. They were older than both our teenage kids. They were always there for the kids.

It really hurt us all when they died. I still look for them in the mornings when I get up. It took us a long time for us to be ready for new cats. There was a lot of pain there.

But we're better now. Having the new cats helps. It makes me happy to see them in the same cat bed that Ellie used to sleep in.

Anyway.. please know that our family's thoughts and prayers are with you in this difficult time.

We know how much it hurts.

We also know that things will get better.

Grace and peace to you all.

David

[Newtosailinglady]

A very touching post Scott. Comparing life's ups and downs and your daughter's loss to sailing experiences was our gain. Very well said.