Pour one out for Thomas the gander. Let us not talk of his death, at 40 years of age. Instead, let us revel in how he lived.
Thomas knew early in his life that he was not like other geese. His horizons were broader. When of age, he left his flock, finding love and acceptance in the company of black swans. He and his long-time partner, a cob named Henry, were inseparable for over two decades. But life is a journey, and those who travel its roads with us sometimes look to other routes than those we have planned. After 18 years together with Thomas, Henry's gaze fell upon a pen named Henrietta. Thomas' love for Henry knew no bounds. Accepting his partner meant loving Henrietta, too. Two became three.
When the time came that Henry and his lady longed for children, eggs were laid. Thomas was there to help raise the cygnets. Over the next 12 years, the trio raised 68 cygnets to swans. In 2009, Henry passed. Henrietta, unable to find solace in Thomas alone, sought out a new swan to stifle the pain left by her absent partner. Thomas looked to new horizons as well, settling down with a goose. The relationship was not a lasting one. A short time after their goslings were born, her affections turned to a different gander. A short time later, Thomas, a goose that had seen so much love in life, lost his sight. Blind and alone, he was brought to the Wellington Bird Rehabilitation Trust to live out his final years in peace, surrounded by friends and caring attendants.
Goodbye, Thomas. Thank you for all of the love you gave.
Courtesy of bzwei/Pixabay
