Frustration is knowing that given the choice, after years of sharing unconditional love and attention, our pets would ultimately choose to be alone in their final days. We would be deeply offended to know they had ignored our calls and pleas to return home, if only just to say goodbye.

As our existence is still new to this world, that is only our perception. How we selfishly try to dictate how a soul should exit this life. While we consider ourselves advanced, even superior to all other life, we still struggle deeply with the thought of death, especially crossing it alone. Animals have lived and died on earth many more times and for much longer than we have, and possibly ever will. It occurs to me they may have a greater, or simply different understanding and respect for the act of dying on one's own terms, in solitary. In the wild, it would not be a luxury often granted.

Last night we buried our beautiful Luke, after finding his recently cold body not far from home, a month missing.

Goodbye, friend.