Carrying an Old Dog
13 years old.
In a human life, this is just the beginning. A scratch on the surface of what you can only hope to be a long, happy journey.
In a dog life, thirteen means something very different.
It means losing hair and losing hearing.
It means spending your time under the table watching the life around you instead of being in the center of it.
It means preferring to stay on your bed instead of scampering to get that bit of food under the baby's highchair.
It means eating less and sleeping more.
It means being carried down the stairs by your owner instead of walking alongside her.
It means a life full of joy is slowly coming to a close.
I know the day will come when we will have to say goodbye...
...but for now, I will keep carrying that old dog.
Samson in his younger years 💙
This is so poignant. We lost our sweet, spazzy dog a few years ago and then our two faithful cats this past fall, one day after the other. Enjoy the time you have with your sweet Samson. I like how you structured this piece and that ending line is perfect.
ReplyDeleteOh, this one got me! My dog is also 13 and every line could have been written about her. Every morning as I read slices and write my own, she's curled up in the chair beside me and I try to take a moment to be grateful for what is certain to be our last March together. Thank you for this.
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