Click here to play music
"To Go Beyond"

"Knowing"

"If I had known that on that day
our time was near the end...
I would have done things differently
my forever friend.

I would have stayed right next to you
deep into the night...
but I thought I'd see you in the
early morning light.

And so I said 'Good-night' to you
as I walked in through the door...
never thinking of the time
when I'd see you no more.

But if I had known that on that day
our time was at the end...
I would have done things
so differently
my forever friend."

Welcome!

You have reached the My Forever Friend
Memorial Website!
Within these pages you will find
original poems and the short story
**"The Reunion"
written to honor the memory of
my forever cottontail friend Shoo-Fly.

Though Shoo was wild and remained that way
throughout the year of our friendship
we shared a bond unlike anything I have
experienced before or since.
This bond has not lessened since his passing to the
Bridge on Mother's Day, May 9th. of 1999.

Why the little wild rabbit chose me
to be his friend, I may never truly know.
Shoo was not an injured wild rabbit
thrown into human contact against his will.
Rather, Shoo waited for me out of
his own volition that
warm week in May...
until I finally went out to meet him.
I may not know the why or how
but what I do know is this...the year I spent
with him changed my life completely.

Above all, this is a pet loss website.

It is my sincere hope that our guests who have
forever friends waiting for them at the Bridge find
a sense of peace and comfort in their visit.

*Some have asked who the "we"
and "our" is in the website.
It is Shoo and I of course!
Without Shoo there would
be no My Forever Friend!

"Us"
May 1998

Our featured poem is "Shoo's Song"
written during that long lonely
summer of 1999 and was the second of
many poems to be written.
The above poem "Knowing" was the first.

It has been 23 years
since Shoo and I sat together
sharing an apple and looking at the stars.
Sometimes it feels like only yesterday..
sometimes it feels like forever.

This entire website was and is
the result of a year spent with a
small brown cottontail rabbit
I came to call Shoo-Fly.

He changed me.
I will never forget him...
and I never knew I could write.

...a song I'd sing
for him and he..."

"Shoo's Song"

"Memories of Shoo, memories of me,
lying near the young apple tree.
Memories of stars shining bright in the sky,
one we called "ours", my Shoo-Fly and I.

Memories of a time, so precious spent.
Memories of wonder and knowing content.
Memories of days and of nights now gone by.
Memories of the cottontail we called
"Shoo-Fly".

I first saw him sitting near the
evergreen trees...
where I first saw him and he saw me.
A bunny so small as alone as could be,
this was the beginning of Shoo and me.

Greens I'd leave and a rabbit treat
and he soon came running at the
sound of my feet.
And when I'd call, whether night or day,
he'd be there, never too far away.

As summer moved on our friendship grew,
I looked forward daily to seeing my Shoo.
And nary a summer night went by
that didn't find me sitting with my
precious Shoo-Fly.

When winter came and the cold winds blew,
I'd don coat and gloves to be with my Shoo.
A path through the snow to the young
apple tree
was made for the friendship between
Shoo and me.

Apples we shared and moments of gold,
Shoo and I huddled deep in the cold.
We'd look at our star in the crisp
winter night
and think of time coming;
of springtime's first light.

And then it happened! Almost before we knew!
Flowers bloomed for me and my Shoo!
Having made it through long winter
now past,
Shoo and I again, at last,
sat in the warmth of the May
evening breeze.
Together we sat near the young
apple tree.

A song I'd sing for him and he
would look up with soft brown eyes at me
and in those eyes an expectancy,
and trust in love, Shoo and me.

A world we shared of treats and stars,
this was the world that we called "ours".
A world of beauty. A world of grace.
A world I saw when I looked in his face.

But then one day he did not come
though I watched for him and
worried some.
The day passed on, one day then two,
but nary a sign did I see of my Shoo.

To the yard next door I went to see
if Shoo were feeding by the large
pear tree;
but looking over the fence to view
the ground,

Shoo...

I knew...

had now been found.

Still he lay between two trees.
Still he lay now gone from me.
And there beneath the sunlit sky
I wept for Shoo, my Shoo,

and I...

took a petal from the ground;
a petal fallen where Shoo was found;
and closed my eyes remembering,
how we had waited...

and waited...

for spring.

Now the long days of summer
have come, and I,
sit alone under a star lit sky.
Our star shines brightly, high up above,
touching my mind and heart with love.

By day bunnies play near the evergreen trees;
I think of Shoo...and I think of me.
A friendship formed so naturally.
Me and Shoo. Shoo and me.

His picture I've framed and put in a place
where I always see his beautiful face.
Soft brown eyes
looking back at me,
still hold the look of expectancy...

and tell of a time
and of days gone by;

of trust and love,

me and Shoo-Fly."

Shoo's RainbowBridge Residency
Click on image to visit.
Use Back Button to return.

Though much of the website is
still under re construction
the short one page story

"Apple Blossoms"
(Shoo and I first meeting),
is on the site.

Also the poems:

"I Saw You Again Today"

"Tracks Through the Snow"

"Hope"

"The Magic Of Your Name"

"Somewhere In Time"

Seven short poems
*New poems:
"At THE Rainbow Bridge"
"In Dreams"

"The Dream"

"Falling Stars"

(Featuring the video
"Fallen Embers"
sung by Enya.)

"Till Dawn"

and

"May's Song"
have been added.

All links are active links.
Just click on the poem
title to visit.

Also, each poem has
a link to the next.

There is a link to return
to this page on all pages.

AND...

The Evans' Backyard

is open to visit!

Come meet who I came to call
The Cottons!
The first 3 years after Shoo passed
his offspring came to visit.
Although not Shoo,
I was very grateful for their
company & managed to get
some beautiful photos!

Just click on the above bunny
or the text to visit.

(Mr.) Daisy
My teacher and friend
for 14 years

The poem "Please Stay With Me Awhile"
(The Heartbreak of Euthanasia)
can be found using
the above photo link.
My beloved house bunny Mr. Daisy
who was helped to
the Bridge on Jan.3,2008
at 14 years old.

This poem came to me as I
sat in the little room, now alone
holding the empty pet carrier.

Please use photo link above to
view the poem
and the "back" button or
website link to return to this page.

Alternately, you can visit Mr. Daisy's pages.
All have a link to return to this page.

**I've been asked to put a link
to the short stry
"The Reunion"
(Shoo and I meeting at the Bridge)
on this page.
Just click on the highlighted text. :o)

*Story open during
website update.

Open during website updating!

Paint Shop Pro & Animation tutorials
by me are available.
Please click the animation above
to visit.

Graphics for free websites are also available.

All pages & animations on this site are created & designed by myself
to honor the memory of my forever friend Shoo-Fly.

*Many people have asked who
the "we" is in My Forever Friend.
It is Shoo and I, of course!
Without Shoo there would be no My Forever Friend!