One of the Homeward Bound volunteers gifted the Memorial Garden with prayer flags. They are inspired by Tibetan prayer flags, used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The belief is that their prayers and mantras are blown by the wind to spread goodwill and compassion.
This thoughtful woman provides the colorful flags, inscribed with messages of remembrance, to people who have recently lost their dogs. It is a touching tribute to the four-legged friends who have graced our lives.
The cloth frays and the printed images fade as they are released over time to the wind and presumably, the heavens. As life moves on and is replaced by new life, hopes are renewed by continually placing new flags alongside the old, welcoming life’s changes and recognizing a greater, ongoing cycle.
When you lose a dog, you never think you will be able to fill the huge hole left in your heart. Yet when you are ready, you will find that each leaves space for another. Like the flags, the heartache fades with time – and new relationships are born.
These flags are fitting in the Homeward Bound Memorial Garden – dedicated to the dogs we have loved, and the opened hearts they inspire.
Gardens For Goldens 
I’ve been enjoying your garden update posts. They carry the reverent peace of the Memorial Garden. You are gifted yourself in conveying the essence of Homeward Bound. I appreciate this blog. It is an equalizing, peace-infusing balance to sometimes long days.
Thank you! I would love to take credit, but with so much inspiration around – it writes itself! See you in the gardens. 🙂
Beautiful site…where could I find the statue of the boy and the dog that you have pictured above…I would love to purchase it for my friend who just lost both her husband and Golden Retriever a day a part. It would be perfect in her garden and a lovely tribute to them both.
Thank you for visiting. Unfortunately, we don’t know the source of the statue. It was given as a gift to the leader of the rescue years ago.
Thank you so very much for getting back to me so quickly, I truly appreciate it!!!!
Ma has been suffering from the great loss of my Predecessor, Sampson… She wondered if you would could do something in the garden and help her find some closure… Thank you ~Katana
Hello. I am so sorry for you Ma’s loss. We never forget them, but they would not want us to suffer too long over their leaving. We are not planting currently because of the drought, but we do offer commemorative bricks for our memorial path. People remember their pups here, and their memory rests in our beautiful garden. You will find the information here: http://www.homewardboundgoldens.org/how-to-help/memorial-garden-sponsorship.html
Kind regards. Ogee