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| Imagery courtesy of Castle Argghh! (IYKYK) |
Now Facebook is kind of an odd thing. I have many friends there whom I've never met in person. Why am I friends with them on Facebook? Common interests, knowing people in the real world we have in common. It's also a great way to keep up with family when those family are spread over the world.
Some of my Facebook friends are folks I used to work with, being retired (twice over now) there are folks I don't want to lose touch with.
That opening picture? I got that from a friend who did it using some sort of AI tool. I thought it came out very well.
The central character is a badger, an American badger to be more specific. He's surrounded by cats, all walking into the sunset. It looks as though they are emerging from a forest, following a narrow path which leads to a clearing.
There's a saying in one of my circle of friends "they've entered the clearing, at the end of the path." Signifying that that person, or beloved pet, we'll get to that, has passed from this existence to the next. Whatever that might be.
That saying comes from The Dark Tower by Stephen King¹ -
“Go now. Our journey is done. And may we meet again, in the clearing, at the end of the path.”
We have other sayings about death, some far cruder, some perhaps more enlightened.
Now to specifics.
I first encountered this fellow over at the old Neptunus Lex blog. He commented as "SCOTTtheBADGER," as his first name is Scott, and he's from Wisconsin, the moniker made sense. (Far better than some I've seen.)
He was a gentle soul, he loved cats, he lived on a farm and had a large number of cats, working and homebodies, that he called friend. He posted a lot of photos on Facebook of him and his cats, usually them piled on top of him during a cold Wisconsin winter.
His birthday was the 21st of August, as Scott was in his fifties and in relatively good health, at least he hadn't reported any recent ailments, I went ahead and posted on his page for his birthday. Later in the day I saw a post in one of my Facebook groups that Scott had actually passed away, one week before his birthday.
I was stunned, to say the least.
There's just been too much of this death crap going around lately. I know, I know, it's part of that whole "circle of life" thing, but I still hate it.
A friend of mine from the old days on Okinawa lost his wife this year, a cherished colleague from work passed away in May, my daughter's dog of 14 years died, one of my best friends lost her cat of 15 years recently, the list continues. I hesitate to check my phone/computer in the mornings these days for fear of someone else entering the clearing at the end of the path.
There are those who say, "they're in a better place now, no more pain, no more sorrow." I do believe that, the pain and the sorrow is left for those of us mourning our dead.
I mourn you Scott, I truly do. You were a gentle soul, a fellow lover of the feline race, and a good, solid human being.
Though we never met in person, and I hate to realize that now we won't have that chance, I felt I knew you as a person. I counted you as a friend, a comrade, a fellow veteran.
Scott mourned the loss of a number of his feline friends over the years, he had just commemorated the one year anniversary of the passing of one of his favorites. Now he can be with them.
I shall truly miss you, brother.
See you in the clearing someday.
As to the question in the title ...
Someday we'll know.
¹ Before becoming a political radical he was a very good writer. I'll say no more about that.
Something's wrong with your page, Sarge. That last part's all blurry.
ReplyDeleteHeckuva nice tribute.
I picture theBadger, feet wet from crossing the river, sitting in the shade of a tree, covered with his feline companions.
Excuse me. I have to go dry my face
O God of spirits and of all flesh, Who hast trampled down death and overthrown the Devil, and given life to Thy world, do Thou, the same Lord, give rest to the soul of Thy departed servant in a place of brightness, a place of refreshment, a place of repose, where all sickness, sighing, and sorrow have fled away. Pardon every transgression which he has committed, whether by word or deed or thought. For Thou art a good God and lovest mankind; because there is no man who lives yet does not sin, for Thou only art without sin, Thy righteousness is to all eternity, and Thy word is truth.
For Thou are the Resurrection, the Life, and the Repose of Thy servant who has fallen asleep, O Christ our God, and unto Thee we ascribe glory, together with Thy Father, who is from everlasting, and Thine all-holy, good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever unto ages of ages. Amen
Grant rest eternal in blessed repose, O Lord, to the soul of Thy servant who is fallen asleep, and make his memory to be eternal.
Amen
DeleteAmen
DeleteAmen
DeleteWas wondering why I hadn't read any comments lately from Badger Sarge, thanks for the info and the tribute to a Good Man.
ReplyDeleteHe was a Good Man.
DeleteWell, we all get the opportunity to stand before the Lord and see what the outcome will be. I’m not He, but, based on StB’s posts and comments here, I’m fairly confident the decision will be in his favor. Rest in Peace, StB, we’ll miss you. Until we meet again.
ReplyDeletejuvat
Amen.
DeleteFacebook is how I talk at my daughter who passed... ya that's odd but it's real.
ReplyDeleteI've lost track of the number of bloggers who have passed on. On some, a family member will pass the news on their blog, others you just never hear from them again. They are all missed...
A number of commenters have ceased to comment over the years, I suspect many of them have passed.
DeleteFor the record, I used SuperGrok, prompting it to "give me a badger, walking towards the setting sun, with his cats."
ReplyDeleteWe'll catch you up at Fiddler's Green knocking 'em back with Lex and Lilyea, and the others, Scott - while Peaches and the rest gambol with their friends across the road at Piddler's Green, as we await the final trump.
I must admit to avoiding Book of Faces; Bride is on and I rely on her to keep me appraised. Thus, it was via text that I learned that an old friend and Shipmate had gone into hospice. He's had an "exotic" form of cancer.and has survived half a decade more than prognosis, so this was hardly surprising, yet it still promotes that "damnit" response you allude to.
ReplyDeleteHe's A good Christian and will pass surrounded by grandchildren.
It is that stage of life, it seems.
Nice piece, Sarge!
Boat Guy
I spent the first week of August in a campground in western VT. With 5 of my first cousins, their kids, and grandkids. There are roughly 40 of us, we kinda take over the small campground. Was sitting around the campfire one evening, and was talking with the oldest female cousin...we are only 3 months apart in age, so she is more like a sister as mine are 9 and 10 years younger than me. The topic came up of how nice it was to be spending time with family that is usually very far-flung and not have it be at a funeral. She remarked how nice it was to be our age (late 60's) and still have my Dad with us. He will be 97 end of this week. We lost her mom and then her dad little over a year ago.
ReplyDeleteThere is a cycle of life...get togethers used to be high school and then college graduations, then weddings followed by baby showers, anniversary parties, and now funerals. So we all get together one week in August just for fun. Just to catch up.
Mr Badger was always a refreshing read. And anyone who likes cats as much as he did is absolutely on my "okay list". He will be missed.
Enjoy your time with your family and friends, as no one is truly sure how long any one of us has. Enjoy the sunny days, for the rain will come, but that is needed also. If for no other reason then it helps us appreciate the sun.
Suz