Sands of Time - Hilary Petit

There comes a time when a person makes an impact in your life then crosses over the rainbow bridge and you wonder why? Why such an impact for a short time and not a lifetime? Perhaps, the powers above, whomever they maybe, decided this person need to touch many people in a short time, then leave us and watch us from above. Vibrant, witty, loyal, loving are some of the many words that describe Hilary Petit. Heart the size of Texas and enough love to bridge all wounds. Dedicated to animals who adored her.

A female version of James Herriot.  Talented writer that made the stories like you were right beside her, smelling the aroma, feeling the wind, tasting the wine and making you feel so very alive.

I met her many years ago on the Border Collie Boards. She was the one who got me interested in the Iditarod.  Her brother Laird wrote of the race from the beginning to end and we all lived through the tales. 

Hilary was our wild frontier connection, of the eras long past, of the wild west, of wolves, moose and all things in the Great North. She took us in her journeys, letting us forget out daily grind and we lived through her adventures. We had our own Jack London.

And as a vet, her compassion for her charges was deep. She loved all, not matter what. Her stories had you in stitches  glancing furtively at work, making sure your co-workers did not notice you were having a good laugh. Stories that had you believing you were next to her, stroking the soft fur of the cat,  or perhaps seeing the adoration of the eyes of the dog for their owners. Stories that showed the truth and made us all wish we had chosen the route she had followed. But alas, we had to live our lives through her writing. 

She not only wrote of her charges but of her life. With her stories, you could wake up next to her on top of a mountain, step out and smell the crisp air and drink the dark, aromatic coffee with her. Stories came alive and when you were done, you felt recharged and grounded. 

She lived life to the fullest, doing what she loved.  A bright star that burned with passion. She didn't believe in going slow, when there was so much to do. Enjoy life and don't be cautious. Laugh. Live. She was beautiful, yet failed to see that.  She lived the dream we all wanted. She was so vibrant that you were drawn to her. 

We shared the passion for the Border Collies and herding. She was a fellow writer and a mentor for me in my writing.  We would talk about writing and what it meant to us. She often reviewed my material and provided generous feedback. Once when I had writer's burnout, she flamed that passionate fire again for me. She was my rock in writing and my sounding board. 

She was brilliant, a shining star and an Angel. We talked of loves lost, of passion for life, the dogs, goals and our dreams. Of living, love and life in general. She gave freely of herself and loved everyone. She was adored but didn't see it. She was greatly admired and when I told her of that, she laughed. She didn't believe it and I told her that I wanted to be like her when I grew up. She got silent. 

She had no idea the impact she had on others. Her impact was great and she assumed she was nothing. I told her otherwise. 

Life goes by at a fast rate; like the sand slipping by at the end of an hour glass. One day you realize your hourglass has come to an end.  It was that for her and I only wish I could put more sand in her hourglass.  I would give her all the sand she needed and then some more.

 

 

Her loss will be felt by many people and now I feel like she has given me a gift. To finish the book that I had sent aside last year because she is now perched on my shoulder, whispering in my ear. 

And when she is not whispering in my ear, she is playing havoc with the Angels.

Hilary, I wish miss you more than you will ever know. You touched many people and left holes in our hearts. I will have to read your stories again to fill that hole.  You are part of many people's lives and made an impact on so many of us. Your time here was short but I can see you now that you are taking care of your charges in Heaven and making the Angels fear for some joke that you will waylay on them. And mostly of all, you are still here in our hearts.

Good bye, my dear friend, Hilary Petit. Jan 20, 1962 - May 23, 2013