“How do you mend a broken heart?” Is it better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all? Sometimes it seems we have a string of bad luck in relationships, that we invest so much time and energy into a bond we have made with another being, only to have our hearts crushed when it ends. Especially when the demise of that union is due to illness or an accident. We are left bereft and feeling like the universe has for lack of a better way to express it, “Shit on us!” I always try and find the silver lining and sometimes that is down right hard when it seems like the lemonade is just too bitter to swallow. Charlie is a rescue, and had the great fortune of finding a family who loves him, in fact I would say that he and my brother-in-law have a Bromance. He is not an old dog, middle aged maybe, and one would expect many more years of walks along the lakeshore and antics of humping the cat. Charlie has been under the weather as of late, his family was diligent and took him in for a Vet Check only to discover that their pup has Cancer and it is all through him. A very hard pill to swallow! This news comes after loosing two cats in a very short time frame. It is heart wrenching and cruel in the grand scheme of things, but here is my take away. When I see Charlie and his family, my goodness that dog is loved! Truly and unabashedly adored! What a beautiful way to end ones times on this earth, in a home where he is held in such high regard! Charlie won’t leave this planet feeling let down or unloved, when he goes he will leave feeling blessed for finding such a magnificent family that he was wholeheartedly an integral part of. For his people who will no longer have his presence, they are left with inconsolable grief, but a fuller heart for having shared their home with him. It is hard to see now, when one is blinded with tears, that there is a divine plan, that there is reason that that dog found that family! That when his time comes Charlie will be sad to say Goodbye but will cherish the amazing life he enjoyed! And he will hope that some other dog who really needs love will be lucky enough to cross the threshold of the place he called home and find a lap to curl up on and know what it’s like to be adored. It may sound perverse, but he gets a happy ending. And with time, hopefully a little nudge from above will help his family find the next lucky recipient to share their affection with. I have been there, and I remember feeling numb and broken after losing a few of my furry loves that it wasn’t possible for me to go through this one more time, and as I look below my desk I see Lucas I know the answer, that a broken heart can be mended and that it is definitely better to love even when loss is the inevitable outcome.
No Time To Paws 