In praise of departed companions: Kacey

[Kacey, Spring 2015, Rowan Wolf]

Today I got the bad news that my sister Rowan—who has been battling terrible health problems for well over a decade— had lost one of her most beloved furry companions, Kacey.  This is her farewell note.  We are feeling pretty depressed about the whole thing, but we hope that, when our own time is up, we'll see her again, along with other special beings like her who have illuminated our lives. —PG

—The Editor

Farewell to a Dear Friend, Kacey
By Rowan Wolf

This is a tribute to my dear friend, Kacey, a member of my pack for 12 years. She was an amazing friend, and I called her my “Nurse Dog” because whenever someone was sick or sad, she was right there and watched over them (and me) until they were back on their feet. She was a rescue from a bad situation and it took a while for her to acclimate to living in a safe environment. She was special, but then every creature is in their own way. She was also visually striking. She was a Border Collie – German Shepherd mix and had the softest hair of any creature it has been my honor to touch.

I am a sociologist, writer and activist with lifelong engagement in social justice, peace, environmental, and animal rights movements. My research and writing include issues of imperialism, oppression, global capitalism, peak resources, global warming, and environmental degradation. I taught sociology for twenty-two years, was a member of the City of Portland’s Peak Oil Task Force, and maintain my own site Uncommon Thought Journal. I may be reached by email at rowan@uncommonthought.com. On a personal note, I am also a survivor of pulmonary hypertension by the gift of a donor’s lungs in 2011. I do my best to honor that gift by trying to be my best self and give to the world what small gifts I have. Among those is a deep passion for life, and the lives of all those with whom I share the planet. 

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