A Constant Companion
A few years ago, a friend of mine described what he referred to as "The Arc of Life". Upon this Arc, half of our life was spent in receipt of wonderful things that Life had to offer before Life started to take away what was once given.
At the time, this concept resonated with me personally, as I had just lost my mother to cancer and while the pain was still fresh, I was reflecting on all that had been given prior to losing her. The core lesson, to me, was to pay attention to the details and take nothing for granted. Life has a way of becoming a noisy and distracting thing, where details and quiet moment are often overlooked...until you are abruptly reminded of what matters as it is taken from you.
This past week was one of the hardest of my life for many reasons, but the most obvious was because we lost a spirit in our lives that was small in size, but mattered on so large a scale that I still am trying to get my head around it.
For the past 11 years, our Boston Terrier Dottie, was a core component of our family and indeed our first child. Getting her was one of the first things that Christy and I did as a couple and she was there throughout nearly our entire relationship. She was family.
Anyone who ever met Dottie would be hard pressed to say that her personality did not exceed her size ten fold, as she was loud, full of energy and boisterousness that rivaled any dog - any size. It was through her personality that people came to remember her and love her. She gave to all, until she couldn't.
The seizures were a surprise to all of us. One day, she was acting as normal as could be and the next we noticed a small seizure. Yet Dottie gave her love. The seizures increased in frequency, her medications increased, and still Dottie gave her love. In the quiet moments, she was still nothing but love and a constant companion. We did all we could, while she held on - and together we gave to one another.
After a few days, it was clear that despite our best efforts, there was no return, no recovery for Dottie. So, Christy and I gave Dottie peace, while Life took.
I can never be thankful enough for the Arc of Dottie's life. Looking back now, the pain is fresh and just writing this is difficult, but I am forever grateful for our time together. Throughout the better part of my adult life, Dottie was there. She was constant and she was a friend that has left memories and a void behind her that far exceed her small stature.
We love you Dottie and are forever thankful for our time together. Enjoy the next adventure!
