Light A Candle in Loving Memories
Shadow by Rachel Garcia
by Rachel Garcia / Mommy
To my dear Shadow:
This past year has flown by but I still think of you often. I have dreaded this day all year long as I knew it would be difficult for me to get through. Here I find myself with silent tears yet again. I miss you and wish I could hold you one more time. I know I did the right thing in easing your pain but it created such a hole in my heart.
I still feel regret for wishing I could be selfish and keep you here even longer but deep down I knew it was your time. I miss hearing your little feet on the tile in the kitchen and seeing you waiting for a treat at dinnertime. There’s no one here to greet me at the door with such enthusiasm anymore. No one here to take for walks
outside or to play ball with.
I miss the way your eyes would light up at the first sight of a jar of bubbles. You loved chasing those bubbles so much! I still love you, Shadow, and that will never change!
Someday we’ll see each other again.
by Rachel Garcia / Mommy
Shadow,
It has been six, long months since I told you goodbye. It still hurts. I think of you all the time. I miss you following me through the house and how you used to get so excited to go for a ride in the car. I still look for you when I come home to greet me at the door and then sadly remember that you are no longer here.
I keep your picture on my desk so I can still see you everyday. Things are so different without you here. I’m sure I will feel better with time, but for now, I still cry when I see your picture or think of you. I wish that you could still be by my side but I know the decision we made together was for the best. I didn’t want you to have any more pain. I did what had to be done even though my heart was breaking as I watched you close those beautiful eyes for the last time.
I miss you more than I ever thought I would. No other dog could ever replace you. You were too special. I know that you are waiting for me and I will see you again someday.
Until then, I will cherish the memories I have of you. You were my best friend. Thank you for sharing your life with me even if it took us several years to find each other. I know that we were meant to spend the rest of your life together. I love you still!
Shadow by Rachel Garcia / I will love you forever, Shadow!
Love,
Shadow’s life with me began on February 12,1999. It was his second chance at life. I found my beautiful, little friend in an animal shelter where he was scheduled to be euthanized that same day. My family had recently lost our dog just before I had moved away from home the previous month. I had gone to the shelter that day just to look around, because I missed our family dog terribly, but really didn’t have any intentions of getting another dog. But there was Shadow! He was at the very back of the kennel, all alone and shivering. He was the only dog who hadn’t messed in his run or dumped his food and water.
He looked absolutely terrified, so I decided to open his run door and kneel down to talk to him. The moment my knees touched the floor, Shadow was in my lap staring up at me, almost as if he was pleading with me to get him out of there. I promptly went and paid for my new friend and took him back to work with me, at an animal hospital. Shadow QUICKLY earned his name. He never left my side! He became my best friend over the next few weeks and remained that way for years.
He went through a lot of my hard times with me. He gave me unconditional love that I needed so badly. People came in and out of my life, but Shadow was always there! I loved my “little man” so much! Over this past year I have watched my best friend getting older and older, and beginning to have more health problems.
I don’t know exactly how old he was, but I know he was getting up there. He was an adult when I adopted him and he lived with me for almost six, wonderful years. Today, was one of the most difficult days of my life. I made the decision to let my Shadow go. He deserved to be comfortable and I could no longer provide that for him. Out of all the love in my heart for him…I told him goodbye.
by Rachel Garcia / Rachel Garcia
Dear Shadow,
I miss you so,
but it is just so hard to let you go.
In my heart I know you’ll stay,
until I see you again someday.
You gave me all I ever needed,
and for relief I know you pleaded.
To show you love, I spoke your wish,
but Shadow, it is your touch, my arms now miss.
You gave me all you could with love,
and now you watch from up above.
Our last moments together, I’ll never forget
But now I’m filled with regret.
I wish you didn’t have to go.
I wish those last few days had slowed.
The best friend I ever knew.
Shadow, I will never forget you!