Cios's last journey...

Together with my mother, the  morning of the 9th of December 2002 we left early for the vet clinic to collect Cios's body, which in the end I decided not to look at any more because the vet told me that with all the efforts they had made to save her life she was not her former self to look at. They advised me to keep her in my memory like she was before, and that is what I did. 
We shrouded her in her favorite deep blue blanket and drove towards Franco's place, more than two hours of rather difficult road, and it was starting to snow. At a certain point my mother said, it was "Cios sky" and it was true, there were gray clouds of different shades on a lilac sky, just like her fur.
We both cried a lot during the journey, and my hand continued to reach behind, towards the cold bundle I knew held only her earthen remains. I remembered all the times we had traveled together, her so eager to see new places, and always happy in the car, never complaining. 
When we reached our final destination, I had decided that before meeting Rossini I wanted to put Cios to her rest, and so Franco started to dig out the hole in a beautiful, open place in his garden, near the other fur children buried there. When we had softly laid her in there, I started to read the little speach I had prepared the day before:

My dearest Cios,
here you rest now, in your last earthen place. I want to send this lavender bush with you on your journey, in which you loved so much to lie, and the perfume of which so often permeated your soft fur, reminding me of you forever.
Sleep well, in your last hideout, my beloved furkid, and wake up strong and comfortable on the Rainbow Bridge, where you will meet many of your sister and brothers who have gone there before you, and who, just like yourself, are now waiting for somebody who has loved them with all their heart down here on earth.
We have gone a long way together, and my heart is so heavy at the thought that this road down here has already come to its end. I had so much hoped for many happy years with you.
But I also know that you, my Angel, were a gift from dear God. He has put you at my side, to remember me also during dark and difficult times, how infinitely great and beautiful His Love is for all His Creatures. 
And even if this is very hard to accept, I also understand that He has called you back near to Him now, in order to give me the possibility to unfold my own wings and fly, and  love, on my own. 
So I will try to remember you not with sorrow and sadness, but keep you in my mind like you always were: sunny, joyous and loving.
I want to deserve this gift, that your presence in my life has been.
I know that from Above you are looking out for me, and I know also that one day we will meet again. 
Until then, I just say Thank You, for everything you were for me, and Thank you also to God, who has gifted me with so much joy and Love through you.

Good bye, beloved Ciossi, my little silver fur angel. 

 In certain moments I cried so much that I didn't see the words on the paper, and sometimes I couldn't even speak, but I made it through the page. My mother and Franco also were crying very much, but then I asked them to sing together with me St.Francis's song of the Sun, written out of Love for God and his creatures. And it was so beautiful to sing for Cios out there, under a sky the color of her fur, with snowflakes slowly swirling around us, it will be a moment forever engraved in my heart, for its pain and its sorrow, but also the sense of peace slowly settling in our hearts. 
When we had closed the grave, I put the lavender stock on it, which I had brought with me, which was her preferred  resting place in my garden.
In the summer, there will be an infinity of flowers and herbs, butterflies and sunrays around this place. 
I feel so much better to know her mortal body now rests under the stars, in the arms of Mother Earth, so her luminous soul is free to run on the meadows of the Rainbow Bridge!

Her favorite place..

..and her last rest.