Sad News! - update and address

[Karen]

You know, I have been trying to think, I thought we had another "spinner" on Pet Talk ...

I'm gonna PM somebody.

But Corinna's death is a reminder to never put things off ...

[shutterbug0303]

Tim, Family, and fellow Pet Talkers....

I'm so sorry I haven't found this thread until now. My deepest prayers and sympathies go out to each and every person that has been affected by this tragic and sudden loss. Corrina was an amazing and caring person who never thought twice about sharing and giving to others. This can be seen by her posts on PT and how much all of our members cherished special gifts and thoughts she had sent. She also seemed to have such a full, wonderful, and happy life!

I wanted to share two of my very favorite "stories" that I learned of after my dad died almost 3 years ago. Every day is difficult and the pain is hard to ease, but these are comforting words that I hope will help....

The Dragonfly Story (a great story to relate this to Charity Jean one day)

Once, in a little pond, in the muddy water under the lily pads,
there lived a little water beetle in a community of water
beetles. They lived a simple and comfortable life in the pond
with few disturbances and interruptions.

Once in a while, sadness would come to the community when one of
their fellow beetles would climb the stem of a lily pad and
would never be seen again. They knew when this happened; their
friend was dead, gone forever.

Then, one day, one little water beetle felt an irresistible urge
to climb up that stem. However, he was determined that he would
not leave forever. He would come back and tell his friends what
he had found at the top.

When he reached the top and climbed out of the water onto the
surface of the lily pad, he was so tired, and the sun felt so
warm, that he decided he must take a nap. As he slept, his body
changed and when he woke up, he had turned into a beautiful
blue-tailed dragonfly with broad wings and a slender body
designed for flying.

So, fly he did! And, as he soared he saw the beauty of a whole
new world and a far superior way of life to what he had never
known existed.

Then he remembered his beetle friends and how they were thinking
by now he was dead. He wanted to go back to tell them, and
explain to them that he was now more alive than he had ever been
before. His life had been fulfilled rather than ended.

But, his new body would not go down into the water. He could
not get back to tell his friends the good news. Then he
understood that their time would come, when they, too, would
know what he now knew. So, he raised his wings and flew off
into his joyous new life!

"Gone From My Sight by Henry Van Dyke"

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone"

Gone where?

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she let my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"

And that is dying...

Death comes in its own time, in its own way.
Death is as unique as the individual experiencing it.

[finn's mom]

Judy (shutterbug), those are beautiful.

[slick]

Shutterbug....I've got major LES going on over here. That dragonfly story just did me in. ....but thank you for sharing them. They are beautiful.

Still thinking of you and the family Tim. You remain in my daily prayers.

[DugansDad]

Thank you Shutterbug for the Dragonfly story. I had heard it a long time ago and it helps put alot in perspective. I have copied ALL of this thread and it will be put in a notebook for Charity Jean to read when she is older. Thank you everyone for your support during these difficult times.

Tim

[sandragonfly]

still thinking of you all and corinna daily... I still find it hard to believe.

everytime I see or hear about (her favorite collection of) lighthouses, I always thought of our dear corinna and I know I always will - I know I was going to make her something with that figure.

dragonfly was great.

[cyber-sibes]

everytime I see or hear about (her favorite collection of) lighthouses, I always thought of our dear corinna

Oh my gosh, I have to tell you what just happened - I shopped for a sympathy card and got home just a few minutes ago. I picked out a nice card and started to leave, but then glanced over and saw one with a beautiful lighthouse on it. I had this very strong attraction to it & something told me "This is the one, get this one". Your post just gave me goosebumps, Gina, as I didn't know Corinna collected lighthouses!

Tim, I'm still holding your family in prayer.