# Farewell Rauha



## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Rauha died today. She is now with my gods, who will care for her and look after her until I join her once more. I didn't really know her long enough to say if she was a good rat, if she had a happy life, or pretty much anything - she fought constantly with the other two, and of the three was the least interested in any form of interaction. While the other two would come quickly when the cage was opened, Rauha would simply lie there and stare at the wall, or sit under a blanket, curled into a ball. While the other two played, she would sleep, or remain uninterested in another part of the cage. I hope that her brief time with me gave her some happiness, but I will never know, for now she has died and her time here is over. Farewell little one - until we meet again in darker places.

Death is before me today: 
--like the recovery of a sick man, 
--like going forth into a garden after sickness.
Death is before me today: 
--like the odor of myrrh,
--like sitting under a sail in a good wind.
Death is before me today: 
--like the course of a stream;
--like the return of a man from the war-galley to his house.
Death is before me today:
--like the home that a man longs to see,
--after years spent as a captive.

 --_From "Dialogue of a Misanthrope with His Soul" (ca 2000 BC)

_


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## crow (Nov 18, 2015)

all rats are good rats! i hope she has more friends next time around. ratkind thanks you for your service.


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## cirice (Nov 15, 2015)

She sounds like a lovely rat, and I agree with crow, she'll have more friends next time around. You will meet again, and then she will show you her thanks.


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## 461537 (Nov 15, 2015)

Thanks guys. I've been really depressed today, wondering if it was something I did that killed her - something she ate that I gave her or something she nibbled on while free roaming that I didn't notice whilst watching the other two. I buried her in a field of flowers, in a tarot bag along with nuts and strawberries to eat upon her journey to the afterlife. I anointed her with oils, and wrapped her body in black silk, and spent the day reading the Book of Coming Forth by Day over her. Most people here where I live already think I'm pretty crazy - strange heavily tattooed tarot reader sitting crying in a field of daisies reciting Egyptian funerary rites over a dead rat. Ilsa and Aino have both been very subdued too - it must be rather scary for them to see a cage mate die, but I don't know. We ate peas and sweet potato together at her wake, then ice cream and toasted her passing with spring water flavoured with berries. I didn't realise how close I've come to these rats in such a short period of time - I've lost almost everyone else I've cared for in the past, and this brought back memories. Gods, I'm such a drama queen.


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## MousE190 (Oct 7, 2014)

I believe you did the best for Rauha, a home, love. they are not rats, they are part of us. May not be here for a long time, but we try and give them so much they deserve, our little friends do not ask for much, we can hold them, snuggle them, yet we know in inside they will not be here a long time...we still keep to our hearts, and give the little rats our hearts, do fing the strenght to go on.R.I.P Rauha, you are missed


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## OutbackRat (Oct 9, 2015)

I haven't been on here for a while and just saw this. I'm very sorry for your loss and I know that Rauha can feel your love and sorrow. I believe that everyone comes into our lives for a reason. It may be a long while until the reason Rauha entered and left your life so quickly becomes known to you, but I know that by entering each others lives, you changed each other for the better and you will meet again on another plane.
Blessings to you


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