Then he was gone........................

The rain has been falling steadily for a couple of days, and as I listen to it, I realize I never noticed the sounds it makes before. The soft tapping of the droplets—now I know, it reminds me of the gentle rhythm of our dog’s paws, his taps across the floor above us, the jingle of his collar as he shook his head to get our attention, and the sound of him licking his paws.

A few days ago, our beloved pup left us after 13 beautiful years. He lived a happy life, one filled with the purest form of love and joy. We will always remember the way he found so much happiness in the simplest things—his excitement over the same meal every day, the joy he expressed when anyone walked through the door, and his love towards us no matter what was going on around the house.

As he aged, we saw changes as his body grew weaker, and the familiar odor of age would linger despite our best efforts to keep him clean. His legs, once strong and full of life, became bony and sinewy. But through it all, he still loved his walks, though they became slower and shorter, and his tail would wag like he was orchestrating a symphony, full of life and love.

Just two days before he passed, he collapsed in the kitchen—the place he loved most in our home. His front body trembled, and his eyes glazed over. For a moment, we feared the worst, but after a few minutes of comforting him, he rallied and regained his strength. We gave him his favorite snacks, his water, and his pain medication. We thought the end might be in next 2-3 months, but we were wrong.

Two days later, in that same kitchen, his body began to give out. His breathing grew shallow and labored. His front legs trembled and then stopped. His hind legs did the same. He looked around, as if trying to take in everything one last time, and we were there, rubbing his body, comforting him with the love that he had given us so freely over the years. Then, he took his last breath, and he was gone.

We miss him deeply. Things which bothered me at one time are the ones that I miss the most now – the fur and drools. Now, I miss his fur that seemed to get everywhere, his drool marks on the kitchen floor where he spent so many hours. I miss his collar jingling as he tried to get our attention for food and walks. I miss the sound of his paws thumping across the house, and his goofy walk.

Now, when I hear the rain tapping on the windows, I smile, for I know those raindrops are his paws, his spirit still here with us, reminding me of all the joy he brought into our lives.

#puppylove