Prayer in memory of Yukon on his 15th birthday

Lord God,
to those who have never had a pet,
this prayer will sound strange,
but to you, Lord of All Life and Creator of All Creatures,
it will be understandable.

Our hearts are heavy
As we face the loss in death of our beloved Yukon
who was so much a part of our lives, even for a short time.

Yukon made our lives more enjoyable
and gave us cause to laugh
and to find joy in his company.

We remember his fidelity and loyalty
and will miss his presence in our home and our lives.

From Yukon we learned many lessons
such as naturalness
and the unembarrassed request for affection (and for food).

In caring for his daily needs
we were taken up and out of our own self-needs
and thus learned to serve another.

May the death of this precious creature of yours
remind us that death comes to all of us,
animal and human,
and that it is the natural passage for all life.

May Yukon sleep in your godly care
and rejoice to meet his dearest friends once more
when all creation awakens to the fullness of liberation.

Amen+

Adapted by my friend Jan Wiersma from Edward Hayes, Prayers for the Domestic Church

May 14, 2006

Lay down beside me, my dear one,
Let me stroke your silken ears
Let me memorize the feel of your body
For the day when you lie beside me no more.