[This will probably put me solidly on the list of Usenet nutcases, but
here goes anyway. It's very confusing to write down now, but at the
time, as dreams do, it made perfect sense. I found it incredibly
comforting.]

Last night I dreamed I was in the Heaven Museum. There were lots of
other people there (everyone!), and there was lots to see (everything!),
but oddly enough it didn't feel crowded and there was very little noise.
There were places to get refreshments that always had exactly what you
wanted and didn't cost anything, comfortable chairs to sit and examine
any exhibit for as long as you wanted, and docents to answer any
question you could possibly have about anything.

Then I wandered into the Kevin Wing (everybody has their own wing in the
Heaven Museum) and there was everything about *me*. Toby was there, as
well as Jasmine (our first dog), Fidget, and David. The museum
contained everything, as I mentioned above: past, present, and future.
(But we weren't supposed to see the future stuff. In fact, there was at
least one other dog there associated with me, but I couldn't see what
kind or anything else about it because it was surrounded with this
little gray cloud, like they use to blank out people's faces on TV when
they don't want to reveal their identity.)

The people in the Kevin Wing weren't just in static exhibits. They
appeared in context in all of the various "exhibits" of my life, both as
part of the "exhibit" and as someone looking at the "exhibit" with me.
My entire life was there, past, present, and future, but I wasn't
allowed to go past a certain point representing "now". But I also
wasn't particularly curious about that--I knew it was there and I'd get
there in due time.

I wandered in the Kevin Wing of the Heaven Museum for the longest time,
revisiting the parts of my life that I've enjoyed the most. There were
childhood toys and such that I had entirely forgotten, but once reminded
remembered them fondly. Toby trotted along behind me as I wandered; the
rest were there, somewhere, but I wasn't aware of them. He was
perfectly healthy, both physically _and_ mentally: Toby perfected.

I woke up knowing that everything and everyone I've ever loved is still
with me, and so is everything and everyone I do love or will love. Love
isn't born, love doesn't die, love just *is*. While Toby's physical
presence is gone, and I will always mourn that fact to a greater or
lesser degree, the actual _essence_ of Toby-ness has not moved from
where it's always been: in my heart.
--
Kevin Michael Vail | Dogbert: That's circular reasoning.
| Dilbert: I prefer to think of it as no loose ends.
http://www.vaildc.net/kevin/

Kevin Michael Vail wrote in
:

Toby's physical presence is gone, and I will always mourn that fact to
a greater or lesser degree, the actual _essence_ of Toby-ness has not
moved from where it's always been: in my heart.

sniffle I think you've begun to heal, Kevin.

--
-Abby

Pems, Aussie, and a Pug

****Remove shoes to reply****

Kevin Michael Vail wrote in
:

Toby's physical presence is gone, and I will always mourn that fact to
a greater or lesser degree, the actual _essence_ of Toby-ness has not
moved from where it's always been: in my heart.

sniffle I think you've begun to heal, Kevin.

--
-Abby

Pems, Aussie, and a Pug

****Remove shoes to reply****

On Sun, 24 Aug 2003 23:47:07 -0400 Kevin Michael Vail whittled these words:
[This will probably put me solidly on the list of Usenet nutcases, but
here goes anyway. It's very confusing to write down now, but at the
time, as dreams do, it made perfect sense. I found it incredibly
comforting.]

:-)

I woke up knowing that everything and everyone I've ever loved is still
with me, and so is everything and everyone I do love or will love. Love
isn't born, love doesn't die, love just *is*. While Toby's physical
presence is gone, and I will always mourn that fact to a greater or
lesser degree, the actual _essence_ of Toby-ness has not moved from
where it's always been: in my heart.

That's lovely. Its been four months since Tanith yet this week has been a
bunch of ups and downs. But you are right. They are never gone from our
hearts.

Diane Blackman

On Sun, 24 Aug 2003 23:47:07 -0400 Kevin Michael Vail whittled these words:
[This will probably put me solidly on the list of Usenet nutcases, but
here goes anyway. It's very confusing to write down now, but at the
time, as dreams do, it made perfect sense. I found it incredibly
comforting.]

:-)

I woke up knowing that everything and everyone I've ever loved is still
with me, and so is everything and everyone I do love or will love. Love
isn't born, love doesn't die, love just *is*. While Toby's physical
presence is gone, and I will always mourn that fact to a greater or
lesser degree, the actual _essence_ of Toby-ness has not moved from
where it's always been: in my heart.

That's lovely. Its been four months since Tanith yet this week has been a
bunch of ups and downs. But you are right. They are never gone from our
hearts.

Diane Blackman

"Child" commented on Kevin's message:

I woke up knowing that everything and everyone I've ever loved is still
with me, and so is everything and everyone I do love or will love. Love
isn't born, love doesn't die, love just *is*. While Toby's physical
presence is gone, and I will always mourn that fact to a greater or
lesser degree, the actual _essence_ of Toby-ness has not moved from
where it's always been: in my heart.


saying:

What a lovely, lovely dream. I wish I had it.


Me too, me too. Thanks for sharing it.

Laura

"Child" commented on Kevin's message:

I woke up knowing that everything and everyone I've ever loved is still
with me, and so is everything and everyone I do love or will love. Love
isn't born, love doesn't die, love just *is*. While Toby's physical
presence is gone, and I will always mourn that fact to a greater or
lesser degree, the actual _essence_ of Toby-ness has not moved from
where it's always been: in my heart.


saying:

What a lovely, lovely dream. I wish I had it.


Me too, me too. Thanks for sharing it.

Laura

In article ,
Kevin Michael Vail wrote:

I woke up knowing that everything and everyone I've ever loved is still
with me, and so is everything and everyone I do love or will love. Love
isn't born, love doesn't die, love just *is*.

What a wonderful dream. I think the secret to life is knowing how to tap
into the love that surrounds us.

In article ,
Kevin Michael Vail wrote:

I woke up knowing that everything and everyone I've ever loved is still
with me, and so is everything and everyone I do love or will love. Love
isn't born, love doesn't die, love just *is*.

What a wonderful dream. I think the secret to life is knowing how to tap
into the love that surrounds us.

Kevin Michael Vail wrote:

I woke up knowing that everything and everyone I've ever loved is still
with me, and so is everything and everyone I do love or will love. Love
isn't born, love doesn't die, love just *is*. While Toby's physical
presence is gone, and I will always mourn that fact to a greater or
lesser degree, the actual _essence_ of Toby-ness has not moved from
where it's always been: in my heart.

What a perfecly wonderful dream, Kevin and it makes sense too. Thank
you for sharing.

Suja