One last act of kindness…
Little did we know when we set Dodge down last in the green field, that it would be the last act of kindness he would receive. For when the sun rose the next day, little Dodge did not.
And a fog of grief has shrouded us since.
Trying to piece together those last 24 hours, we cannot make sense of it. Dodge looked so serene and happy as the tall clover towered over him. Gently picking its white flowers—his personal favourite—and offering these to him, a little smile took over his face, with green drool slipping from his chin. Looking at Dodge’s full cheeks, we thought this must be what heaven looks like for him—and trust that it is what he has now found.
Just hours earlier, we had picked up Dodge from the vet. Hopeful that an IV drip of glucose had turned his ship around. That evening, we thought it was yielding.
As tears now flow from our eyes and the pain of his loss carves a deep ache in our hearts, we are lost. Lost to the understand how little lambs like him can become so cruelly and legally neglected. Lost without our cheery little friend—the one who never complained.
The one whom we named Dodge.
Dodge arrived at sanctuary just five days earlier. His body ravaged by starvation, the after-effects of blood-sucking parasites, and a system that just did not care. Thankfully the kind humans who found him did.
An initial blood transfusion from our “frequent flyer” donor sheep, Lambini, gave us cause for hope.
And then, so did little Dodge.
Never skipping a beat in his love for succulent fresh grass, he delighted us with his sweet and gentle nature. The way he would look into our eyes stole right into our souls, leaving us with only one thought: “How could our kind harm his?”
We trust that we enriched his world with our kindness, love and care as much as his presence enriched ours.
But alas, that was not enough to undo all the terrible damage wrought upon his still-developing system. And while we could lament how cruel the world can be, we choose to celebrate its goodness, and the wonder and joy Dodge brought to our lives. We are grateful to the many people who have reached out with words of support for Dodge. We are indebted to the amazing veterinary team at Romsey Vet Clinic for leaving no stone unturned or research paper uninvestigated in their efforts to help our wee friend. We rejoice in the many caring people who have found their way to Edgar’s Mission, investing their energy into helping lambs like Dodge.
And to Dodge—it has been an absolute honour and privilege to serve you, little man. Our joyous memories of you, of which there are so many, shall fill the big aching hole in our hearts. The thought of your grinning face as you slurped white clover heads, just like spaghetti, will forever help to weave the broken pieces of our hearts back together.
To hold it all firm, we borrow the words of Mother Teresa: “If I look at the mass, I will never act. If I look at the one, I will.” And you, Dodge, will forever remind us to act—to be kind to all kinds.
For we never know when our last act of kindness will come.
Take care, fly high, and may white clover heads forever spill from your sweet little mouth in those green fields of peace.
RIP Dodge. Godspeed.