For Hazel

While I was in the hospital Doug bought me a book to read and some puzzles (one of which is that damned Sudoku puzzle - addictive yet extremely frustrating LOL). But the book he gave me is called "True Hauntings". I have always been fascinated by the paranormal - not sure how much of it I buy, but I like to read about it and watch shows about it. Anyway, my point to this is that there is a quote from this book that I found rather poignant and reminded me of the kind words we all say when a beloved pet leaves for the Rainbow Bridge.

"The spirit, finding itself very much alive and well, is often greatly distressed by the anguish it observes in the loved one in mourning"

Hazel was a most amazing rabbit and I felt in the mood to write about her today. Not because I was sad, but because I felt today I could without getting all teary. She was a most amazing animal, definitely the Queen of the household - though she ruled with a gentle paw. The word magnificent always comes to mind. Unless of course she thought you had a treat then she became possessed and would launch herself at you!

She was my first "big bunny" and stole my heart. I remember being a tad afraid of her at first - it's a little intimidating to have a large rabbit running to you if you are not used to it. She was an ex-show rabbit/breeder doe and spent her first 3 1/2 years in an outside hutch. I can still remember the first day we brought her home and let her out. She wouldn't move if we were watching, but as soon as I left the room (and spied on her of course) she would run and binky, good grief the noise - you would have thought the walls were falling down.

She was a silly rabbit, though she didn't mean to be. In her healthier days she thought she could scale kitchen cabinets while I made bunny salads, but her efforts paid off as she always got little bits and pieces while I was making them. She was a friend to everybun/dog/one and seemed genuinely shocked that Mopsy hated her guts (but Mopsy hates everybun except Tater). This picture has always been one of my favorites because, although obviously staged, it shows how tolerant she was. She laid there for a long time after we put her down. She taught me a lot about handling a rabbit because before her I was terrified I would hurt them. Now I tell the others when they get sassy that I've wrangled bigger rabbits than them and won! She was so very patient through all of her treatments for her various illnesses, another bunch of lessons she taught me - I never thought I could give an injection but I did many times, and I learned a lot about rabbit medicines and conditions and treatments. I am no expert, it was all specific to what was going on with Hazel, but it gave me confidence to know that I could handle such things. Something I desperately needed to cope with the guilt of losing our first rabbit Miss Bunns.

Hazel's final lesson for me was the hardest to learn of all. And that was that sometimes it is time to let go. And sometimes a dear friend needs help to do that. We had to help her to The Bridge 6-15-05, just 3 days before her 7th Birthday. She is missed dearly each and every day. But her legacy lives on in the knowledge she gave me and the love she shared that I carry in my heart.