I’m Sorry I Didn’t Say Goodbye

On August 10, 2021, my parents dog, Blue, passed away. He was with them for about 10 years; he was old and he was getting slower each day. My dad was going to cut grass and noticed that he was moving even slower and lied down, looking very weak and tired. Dad had a thought of going over to pet him and comfort him; but time was passing, and he needed to cut grass. He walked away and got sidetracked cutting the grass. The next moment that he walked back to the area where Blue lied down, he realized that Blue was no longer breathing.

Dad took this loss very hard. He sobbed loudly with every shovel full of dirt, as he buried Blue. Dad carried so much deep regret for not giving him that last stroke and comfort before he took his last breath. During those days, Dad heard the song “Scars in Heaven” and related to the opening stanza very much. Since that day, he has made a more conscious effort to value the people in his life and not take it for granted that he will get that “later” moment to give those extra hugs, that extra comfort of words, and those extra moments of love. He wrote this poem a month ago, and I waited to share it until today, as Wednesday marked the 3-month anniversary of Blue’s passing to heaven.

Blue passed away and entered heaven on August 10, 2021.

“I’m Sorry I Didn’t Say Goodbye”

I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye,
I didn’t know that day that he was going to die.
A friend so loyal, a friend so true,
The friend I speak of, is my dog named Blue.
Blue came to us in the year of twenty-eleven,
When I first saw him, I thought a gift from heaven.
When he arrived, he didn’t come alone,
He brought his brother with him, and then I named him Red.
Always together and never apart,
With Blue now gone, it now breaks my heart.
My memory takes me back to that dark day,
When I didn’t share the words I wanted to say.
To stroke his back and touch his head,
To let him know how much I cared,
And for the years we both had shared.
As tears ran down that dreadful day,
I dug the grave where he would lay.
God taught me a lesson I’ll never forget,
Love family, love friends, and you’ll never regret,
The memories of you for those left behind.