Welcome to the Rock

Death is a scary thing.

We all think about death from time to time, well at least I know it crosses my mind. Whether it be after we have a near miss car accident on a highway, if it's right before we get on a roller coaster that is creaking a little too much for our liking, or even right as we are taking off in an airplane going on vacation or what not. Death is the elephant in the room for everyone, young or old.

It's how we deal with Death that defines who we are. Some of us sit around writing the tragedies of our lives while ignoring how to live them. Some of us take every opportunity to cheat death, whether it be sky diving, mountain climbing, those crazies on Jackass sticking leeches up their asses. There are even those that take life for granted, almost accepting death as some sort of reward, it could be those that overdose, those that drink and drive when utterly wasted, or those that drink themselves asleep forever.

Today we are putting our family's dog, Rocky, to sleep. I'd be lying if I said I was overly upset, ever since Rocky ate my 1996 All-star baseball cap signed by LL Cool J we've been on bad terms, but I'd also be lying if I said I wasn't going to feel anguish after we put him down. It's a strange things pets do to us really. Pets, especially dogs, are the biggest pain in the ass purchases you can make. They take months if not years to train, you have to feed them at least twice a day, clean up after their shit, hair, mess, etc. Outside of a child, pets are the neediest things you can buy. Yet, my home is going to feel like it is missing something in Rocky's absence.

My brother, the one whose whore ex recently left him, considered Rocky as another brother. As weird as it was, he'd talk to the dog, or just pet him, the reassurance that no matter what, Rocky needed my brother's affection, he relied on my brother, and that made my brother feel more complete. I cannot imagine what his loss will do to my brother, how my brother deals with this will really shine a light on who he really is, and I'd by lying if I said I wasn't a little curious to see how he deals.

I'm willing to bet that you won't be able to walk into this house and notice something incomplete about it the next few days. I'm sure there will be some snappiness around the house, a few teary eyes, but over the next few weeks we will move on, and it will all be back to normal. Rocky won't be around here anymore, but he will have left us with a lot memories.

I think that's the true test of how one deals with death. How he or she deals with the dead loved one's memories. Do you remember all the great times and all the fun things the person left you, or do you just remember how you felt the day they left the world?

Because really aren't memories the only things anyone can leave for us? Sure, they can leave jewelry and pictures, but those pictures are really empty without the memories that back them.