Hmmm..

TONIGHT’S VOICE … The Passing of Life… I have just noticed that Ishmael has died. How hard his death will be to explain to the little girls in the center. Ishmael was a goldfish, more than a goldfish. He was at least 8 inches long and had been a member of the center for over three years and would come to the glass whenever it was tapped. He reminded me a lot of our double terrier Gracie, always happy to see me. Yesterday morning I told my daughter that Ishmael didn’t look too good. He came to the corner of the aquarium (which was his habit for breakfast in the mornings.) and gave me the saddest look. I squeezed some drops of Ick into the water and hoped for the best. This morning he looked no better, but he was eating, more Ick. In the afternoon, more Ick. I went to check on him just now and I can tell he has expired. I wonder where pets go when they die. I always see myself in that picture, the one where Jesus is on the clouds with his arms wrapped in welcome around a new arrival. I get a tremendous amount of comfort from that picture.

But still, this is the one time in life I am wishing there was a man in the house. Just so he could get Ishmael out of the water and clean the aquarium.