The late summer sun shone gently on the adjacent lawn. It was almost quiet, except for the distant leaf blower, a jet overhead, traffic a few streets over, a bird chirping, and the occasional rustling of leaves by the wind. In a hidden alcove underneath a juniper bush, my daughter and I sat and talked. We had just buried Hershey, our pet ferret. She was taking her place next to the graves of two other ferrets that had passed on before her.

On the lawn, a rabbit hopped out to forage, ever alert lest the dog wander over this direction. The rabbit watched the juniper bush as closely as I watched the rabbit. It seemed to be waiting for something to change, or perhaps for a chance to tell me something. Maybe it wanted me to know that Hershey has gone on to a better place for ferrets.

It is sad to lose a pet. It is even harder when it seems as if everything else around you is changing. As the adult, I need to show compassion, stability, and hope. Yet things around me are changing too. What will I be doing in a few months? Will we sell the house and move? It is draining.

Earlier this week, I hurt my back. I’m not sure how much my back pain is a result of stress, of irregular exercise patterns, or other things, but the pain persists. A few nights ago, I took some nighttime pain relievers. They knocked me out and I slept soundly for eight or nine hours. Then, at 5:05 AM, crazy duck called.

We think it is a wood duck, which we have named crazy duck. Its ghoulish cry is disturbing in the middle of the night. Others have suggested it is a loon, but I don’t think so.

The otherworldly call awoke me. I glanced over at the digital alarm clock, without my eyes being able to clearly focus yet, and saw the message. 5:05 looked like S.O.S. What creature was asking for my help at this hour of the morning? A minute passed and S.O.S. became 5:06. I recognized the cry of crazy duck. My thoughts cleared and I rolled over to get a little more sleep. Yet the cry for help remained.

In a world of change, of terror, how do we exude hope? Perhaps looking at a rabbit on a sunny lawn while reflecting on the life a beloved pet is a starting point.