i never been good with sympathy. not with others and especially not for myself. i always believed most wounds were self inflicted. it's only empathy that's kept me from bein' like most a those i meet. the world is a hard place for a lot a people. if ya take the time to think on it, ya realize it's a matter a choices we make, some good, some not, that got us here. people keep askin' about the big dog an most i am want to say is "he's gone" an they let it go. the kids that knew him are more inquisitive and direct. just yesterday a nine year old that's known us the biggest part a her life insisted on answers. what happened? how old was he? did he suffer? where did you bury him? i saw real empathy in her eyes when she said "i'm sorry". then her tears started as i stood numb and helpless. they were friends, about the same age, but mostly she saw in my eyes all the things i could never say. how can you tell a child that life is gone a break your heart over and over again and no, it aint always fair, but it's gone a happen all the same. we just sat quiet awhile till the sobbin' stopped. then i said "see you later". there's times the only real truth in this ol' world is what we feel, not what we know.
peace an love,
sam