Farewell to Hugh Nibley (Our Rabbit)

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength and I watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come down to mingle with each other. Then someone at my side says, 'There, she’s gone.'

Gone where? Gone from my sight...that is all. She is as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side, and just as able to bear her load of living freight to the place of destination. Her diminished size is in me, not in her: and just at the moment when someone at my side says, 'There, she’s gone,' there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, 'Here she comes!'

And this is dying.

--Henry Van Dyke

   Amidst the strange weather we lost an old friend this week, our bunny Hugh Nibley. We are not entirely sure of his age but the Mama Daughter brought him home eight years ago and he was a mature rabbit then. In bunny years he was an old man. His care, once the Mama Daughter married and moved away, was in the hands of the Piano Guy. Everyday upon arriving home from work he would go feed and talk to Mr. Bunny. Hughie would get a treat, a piece of banana was his favorite, his food bowl filled up, his water checked, and a gentle rub down. He really liked the Piano Guy.
   There was a while when his cage was inside. Being allowed out was such an adventure. he would tear up the stairs and hide under the girls's bed. When we dragged him out he would be covered with dust bunnies. 

 Ken Kaiser Drawings

Now the cage is empty and he will not be replaced. It was a once in a lifetime pet but he will be remembered as a patient long-suffering creature.