Like a Handprint on my Heart...

[hoosiermama]

Gypsy--I've been a multiple-dog person for my whole adult life, which inevitably leads to having lost many furry friends over the years. It is a horrific ache, especially when it occurs in the context of a life full of difficulty already.

You've already received all of the wonderfully comforting prose I'd offer--the Rainbow Bridge (which I believe in 100%), the ship crossing the horizon...all I have to offer is my great sympathy and thanks for being there at the end and giving Tiggy the comfort of your presence in her passing. And I know Tiggy felt you there. I once had to euthanize a dog with lung cancer who sat up struggling to breathe until the very last second--and when she finally gave it up, she leaned into me. Her last awareness was feeling safe with me, feeling my warmth next to her--and that's just how it was with Tiggy. I hope that knowledge brings you as much comfort as it did for me.

A good friend of mine, a former nun, has always maintained that dogs are sacramental--they are living, breathing signs of God's unconditional love for us. Non-dog owners think that's ludicrous; the rest of us know just how wise it really is.

And I concur--when it's time, get yourself another canine companion. It's a testament to Tiggy's place in your heart that she left an emptiness that can only be filled with another dog.