In the last hour you were with me, there were three things that gained significant importance in my life– Memories, Time and Understanding.
Memories – knowing that the only thing, once you have gone, are the memories that I can hold on to.
Time – knowing how precious time is, when you make the decision to send your furry friend to a place where our little ones go to live an eternal life. Your heart races, you want to grasp every second being near them and holding them tight, keeping your thoughts clear, knowing that the clock is ticking away.
Understanding – knowing them by looking in their eyes with the bond you have developed through the years, and realizing that you understand that it is time to set them free and send your life-long companion home.
In that last hour, the only thing that I could think of was holding you and being close to you because that would be something that would be gone forever. Closing my eyes and running my fingers over your body to engrain every aspect of your being, and remembering how you felt as a puppy, and now as a senior who would only be taken from me. I knew it was time for me to let you go.
You were so much to me, where do I begin… you were my rock, my gentle soul, my little friend, my baby boy, my purpose for being, many more times than you could ever imagine. We climbed so many mountains, hiked so many trails and made so many road trips just the two of us and had so much fun.
You helped me in so many ways and made me realize so many things. Without you, my foundation wouldn’t have been as strong as it was with you. You made me a better person by learning how to listen intently to your needs through your doggie language, realizing that the small stuff in life is the important stuff, like going for a ride whether it was in the car or in your little red wagon. You showed me that it couldn’t get any better than that by your smiles as you watched Mommy and Max in the lead, pulling you so you could enjoy the sunshine and the smells of another day; throwing a ball, giving you a treat, making an extra special meal when you needed it most, cuddling with you, and realizing that taking time to relax and spend it with those you love is critical, while setting everything else aside.
With all of this and more that I learned from you, it has also helped my marriage become stronger and better, because now I realize that God had a plan for me and you, and lessons to be learned. I needed to grow a little more and He knew what He was doing when He gave you to me – you and I both became winners.
I know that we both taught each other many things among unconditional love, trust and true happiness. There was never a day that I knew you wouldn’t be there for me, and I knew that I would always be there for you. You picked me up when I was down, and it was my turn to pick you up when you needed me most. I put myself and my life on the sideline while I cared for you. I listened carefully to what you were trying to tell me, especially during those last few months of your life, because you depended upon me so much. By the bond that we shared, I know this is how we communicated.
If there are pet owners as lucky as me who have a similar bond that I shared with my Lukey, all I’ve got to say is that you are lucky; and for those who haven’t shared what my Lukey and I have shared, I hope you can understand that a love between a pet and an owner is very real. If you think that I devoted too much time, or cared too much, that’s okay, because I would do it all over again, because he was my baby, my furry companion.
Lukey, with all the love that I hold in my heart if that could have saved you, you would have never died. You were loved dearly, you always will be, there will never be a day that goes by that I won’t think of you. You will always have a special place in Mommy’s heart that no one can ever fill.
If all the tears that I’ve shed and all the stars joined together, could form a pathway to the Heavens to find you and bring you home, I would reach for you, but I know that is where you belong now. You have given me so much, you were the one who taught me to never to give up, to fight till the end and keep going. I am the lucky one to have learned so much from you. The connection of our hearts and love will be reunited again one day.