Where the Cosmos Grow

taken:
day thirty eight
07.28.2011

{I have a little more to say than usual.}

It was a special day back in May when my oldest son brought home 3 guppies from school. His class had studied them for weeks and the time came for all the guppies to find new homes. He was so proud to call them his own. Proud to share what he had learned about them. Proud to feed them every day. He thought the world of them and gave them each names 'Finy, Freckles, and Frisky'.

As we all know though, guppies don't live forever and on this morning we discovered all 3 had died overnight. It was a sad day. I never thought I'd shed a tear over losing a guppy but when I saw my son so heartbroken, gushing with sorrow, sadness and confusion, it filled my eyes with tears as well. I held him close and tried to make the hurt go away.

After I realized how heavyhearted he was I knew we couldn't just flush them. We decided to lay them to rest in the garden. My son picked a peaceful spot shaded along the garden fence, below the pink cosmos that he'd planted himself in the spring. We found an old cardboard jewelry gift box and placed all 3 guppies inside. Both of my sons each decorated a rock to place on the soil where they were to be buried. 

The three of us walked out to the garden, my oldest sons cheeks soaked with tears. Me fighting back the lump in my throat. And my youngest son following us along, just observing and wondering why people cry when things die.

I dug a hole with my garden spade. My oldest son took the tiny box, placed it into the hole and gently filled the hole back up with soil. Both sons placed their decorated stones on top. Then they picked some bright orange marigolds and placed them next to the stones. We stood there for a moment or two and then headed back to the house. This may all seem silly {after all they were only guppies} but I know my grieving little boy appreciated it and he'll take that sentimental memory with him forever.

This is one of the pink cosmos that shelters the guppies final resting place.