I thought about adding a clever title but couldn’t come up with it. My heart is sore, and just writing the briefest of blog posts has produced tears. So I won’t try for clever.
On October 27th our sweet Zena crossed over the Rainbow Bridge with the loving assistance of a retired veterinarian providing in-home service. We were able to cradle her head and tell her until the last breath (and beyond) that we loved her and that she will always have a place in our hearts.
This photo was taken a couple of years ago. Her most current photos make me too sad. Although I continued to hand feed her and she needed lots of attention to persuade her to drink, she continued to lose weight, somewhat rapidly. Her dementia was so significant she couldn’t get around at all without constant monitoring. It was time.
Jay and I took off for a few days following her passing. The return wasn’t any easier, as for the first time in years we didn’t have her sweet exhilaration upon meeting us at the gate. The house still feels empty.
Anyone who has loved a pet knows that deep void–the void that is hard to explain to someone who hasn’t had a beloved longtime pet companion. I think it will take awhile. We aren’t likely to jump back into dog parenting.
Joyfully we are anticipating the birth of another grandson at the end of this year and our trips to Oakland will likely increase. It’s a difficult and very inconvenient time to adjust to another pet’s needs and schedules. In time, perhaps.
One of my favorite book of poems is Mary Oliver’s “Dog Songs.”
Dear, wonderful Mary Oliver passed in 2019, but her poetry is very much alive and current. I’ve included one of her poems from “Dog Songs” read by the author. I hope it will mean something to you, as it does to me.
If we are to enjoy the companionship of these wonderful creatures, we also have to take the sadness when they transition. Life is like that.
breathelighter 