Death Comes to a Small Town

Death came to a small town the other day. The death of our little girl bunny. We did not have her for very long before she got sick. We will probably never know why, but it came quick in a way.

We noticed that she wasn't eating or drinking and she was not hopping around in
her cage like normal. We took her out a time or two and she just went around the house with no running or the curiosity we were used to. The loved to get up on her hind legs and look around. When she found something interesting to her, she would nibble at it. Then that night I took her out and she just laid down on the couch while I pet her. I knew she wasn't feeling well, but there was nothing we could do at the time. I felt so helpless. After a few hours, I put her back in her cage when I went to bed.

The next morning, my wife woke me up saying that she thought the bunny was dead. I was upset and cried a little. I had a feeling that she might die when I was trying to fall asleep. I liked her. But I had to take care of her before the kids got up for school. It wouldn't be good for them to see her in her cage that way. So, I took her out to the garden area where the apple trees are and buried her and said a few things. I know she was just bunny, but I felt it was my fault that she died and she didn't deserve to go this way. We had never had a bunny before so we probably unknowingly did something wrong. I tend to get attached to people and animals so when they are gone, it really affects me. I am only human.

The kids didn't notice she was gone until when we were leaving for school, my 8yr old son noticed the cage was gone and asked where the bunny was. I told him not to worry about it and get to school. He gave me a look that made my heart wrench...a look of loss and sadness..."Is she dead?" he asked. All I could think to say was "Don't worry about it. Lets just get to school."

When I got home, I told my 3yr old and 9yr old homeschooler about the bunny. They all knew she was sick and they took it pretty well, though they missed her.

I picked J from school later that afternoon and his younger sister wasted no time informing him that the bunny had died. He started crying and was very sad. He was mad that I hadn't told him that morning. I explained that I did not want him sad for school. He replied that I shouldn't have secrets and if I do I should tell him. I didn't know how to answer that.

After getting home, he wanted to put some things on her grave that she liked from her cage. I let him go outside by himself. He came back after a while and told me he put some grass on her grave because she liked to eat it.

Death is a part of life. We can't have one without the other. I try to protect my kids from getting hurt, but the death of a loved one, animal or human, is something everyone has to go through. I can't keep it from them. All I can do is help them through it and let them know that it is OK to feel sad and cry.