November 1, 2021
To you, my most beloved companion, I say goodbye for a while.
You walked this earth the best you could - you saw, not with your eyes,
but with your heart - the tree, the water, the sunset, the faces of creatures you met with grace, the path you bravely walked, no matter the obstacle, no matter the stumble, trying, then trying again, you moved forward in faith.
"To the trail!" - hour upon hour - soft earth for your feet in space open and wide where darkness would not steal your need to be free. And, when the run was done, when the path grew small, you took the brush of my leg as your guide, step, touch, step again. But, now, no longer your guide, I am the guided, the feel of your soul with me forever. Thank you.
"I believe that it is time for every one of us to acknowledge a deep, spiritual connection with all of life, that it is time to act moment by moment, day by day, in a loving, compassionate manner with all beings with whom we share this planet. I believe that it is time to reevaluate our relationships with every living being and look for ways to deepen and strengthen those connections. Above all, we must remember that animals and humans share similar feelings of pain, fear, joy, and love."
~ Allen Schoen "Kindred Spirits; How the remarkable bond between humans
and animals can change the way we live"
Thank you, Mary...this has been hard. I miss him every day...life is not the same without him. Sad, a little lost. Thank you.
Thinking of you...
"To the trail", how eloquent and poetically significant. One he walked in companionship with you and he now forges ahead . All things converge, he is always with you. How much our friends teach us is astounding to me, their soulful gazes and heartfelt warmth. He is always with you. I am saddened by your loss and wish you nothing but peace in your heart until you meet again... 😪❤
Thanks for another beautiful piece, Austen. This one made me cry - for the sadness you’re feeling in your loss of a beautiful relationship, and for what I know is sure to come, all too soon for me. It’s maybe the greatest irony of our human existence: that the harder we love, the harder we’ll fall. I wish you happiness.
I can well imagine the loss and heartbreak you are feeling. Our faithful, loyal dogs are our eternal friends and companions and we grieve when they are no longer physically present. Find solace in the years you spent together and the love you shared!