Farewell My Jolie

February 1999 ~ 24th April 2009

My Dearest Jolie,

Losing a loved-one is a profound experience.

You have been my faithful pet, loving mom to Junior and the family's loving companion of 10 years. You laboured your last breath this evening at 7:25pm, and after I adjusted your face into a more relaxed expression, I padded into my Mom's room to break the news to her.

It had been a trying time for the family these past 5 days as we watched you drift in and out of semi-conciousness at the vet whereby doses of liver and kidney tonic and vitamin shots were pumped into your frailing body in the final attempts to cure your ailment. My heart sank on Thursday when the veterinarian finally broke the news that your condition was continually depreciating and incurable due to gradual renal failure. I kept this piece of news from you and made the decision to be absent from work to bring you home to Mom's place where you were most comfortable. The veterinarian's advise to put you to sleep had a shot-down from me because I have always been pro-life and would never decide to pull any plug off a life; let alone one that has been so precious to me.

The journey home gave you faint strength of enthusiasm, as if you knew we were answering your prayers to be back at the place where you had spent most of your joyous moments with the family.

Home was where you wanted to be.

In you, I learnt the lesson of unconditional love. You provided a lovely example of living a life focussed on others. You unselfishly lived life in the moment for people; never having held a grudge against your owner but always ever-ready to please and shower that special gift of unconditional love that only you knew how to. Even at this time of suffering, you continued fighting hard for your life as I sensed that you just couldn't bear it to leave us. That was you, my Jolie, unselfishly thinking of our needs even as your lifeforce was forsaking you.

We have been close, but this ordeal made us even closer than we've ever been. Your soulful glances directly into my eyes, as if to thank me everytime I nursed you, was worth a million times more than any other appreciative gestures by anyone else.

This evening, as I was forced to return to my office for a couple of hours, I knew you had waited for my return to bid me farewell with a last glance before drifting away to eternal slumber.

Mom had lost a faithful companion on her birthday.

Thank you Jolie, for your love ......... and for the invaluable lesson that you've taught me on living a life greater than yourself.

I will miss you dearly.



"Form is empty, emptiness is form. Emptiness is not other than form, form is also not other than emptiness" ~ excerpt from Heart Sutra

p/s : my heartfelt thank yous to Twilight, Keen Yee, Medie and TZ for your numerous calls and smses these past few days. Really appreciate your concern and kindness. Don't worry, I'm doing fine.