Anyone who has read my posts will recognize the title. I use this phrase to sign off on every post. A friend of mine asked me a while ago why I selected that phrase. From my experience, life is a journey. Whatever you do or plan to create in your life is just part of a much bigger journey. Our job is to find out where we are going, why we are going there and who will we become once we get there. This post is dedicated to a dear family friend who came to the end of her journey on this earth on Saturday.
Molly was our first. When Caroline and I got married we started thinking about a family. My wife loves dogs and never had one. My family always had a dog so it was a natural decision to bring a dog into our family.
We first met Molly while shopping at one of the local malls. I never liked the idea of getting a dog from a pet store but she was too irresistible to pass up. A small little cocker spaniel pup, light brown hair with big soft eyes. Soon my wife and I were singing that song, “How much is that doggie in the window?. Part of our thinking was that if we could look after a dog and it survived, then maybe we could one day have children too.
Molly proved to be a great trainer and companion for us. She was a pup and demanded the patience from both of us during the house training period and during her stages of chewing frenzies. She was also a loyal companion. Always there to greet us. Always happy and playful.
When we did have our first child Kyra, Molly went into a stage of depression. She was no longer the only child in the family. It took a while for Molly to accept Kyra. Once Kyra was old enough to realize that we had a dog and once Kyra became mobile, she pursued Molly with love and passion, often to Molly’s dislike. Molly would go and hide to escape Kyra’s hugs and kisses but a little later would sneak back and choose a place to sit so that Kyra would not notice her. Molly would then spend hours watching Kyra play. Molly coped better with our next two children, Maya and Lara. For fourteen years, Molly was part of our family.
For the past two years Molly started showing her age. She no longer ran around the house and the happy little puppy we all loved left us for an older tired member of the family. Three months ago we discovered that Molly was hypothyroid. Anyone who is hypothyroid knows what a battle it can be.
We started the old girl on medication and she came back to life. We had our puppy back again. This past Thursday, Molly had her best day in years and played with the kids for what seemed to be hours. I remember commenting to my wife how much energy she had that day.
Unfortunately thyroid medication does not replace the complications of old age. Friday Molly was not herself. At first we thought that she just over did it the day before with the kids. By that evening we knew that something was wrong.
I brought Molly to the vet Saturday morning and the diagnosis was not good at all. It seemed that Molly’s liver had started to give out and with her age, there was not much left to do. I brought Molly back home to the family so that we could say our last farewells to our first family member.
My wife and girls were devastated. This was the most difficult time we have experienced as a family. Caroline, Kyra, Maya and Lara gave Molly their last hugs and kisses. I then took Molly on her last journey in the car to the vet. As I lifted her up into my arms, her eyes were fixed on a destination many miles way. The only response she would give me was a slight whimper in between the shallow pants of her breathing.
Molly past away peacefully Saturday April 18 at 1:43 in the afternoon.
We had a wonderful 14 year journey with you old girl. Now we will have to face a new journey without you, coping with the pain and heartache of missing your companionship.
Where ever your new journey takes you Molly, may it be filled with the happiness and love you unconditionally gave us.
Hang in there, this is going to be a journey.
Tags: Death of a family pet, Life is a journey
April 27th, 2009 at 8:05 am
M.J., Caroline and the girls,
I’ve had pets all my life and saying goodbye to them is always like cutting away a part of your heart. I believe that animals are there to show us unconditional love, something we, humans, too often struggle at with each other. I am sure that Molly will remain as alive in your hearts as she was on her last fun day with the children.
Yes, it’s going to be a journey, with the celebration of the wonderful and the resilience of the inevitable.
Kathleen
April 29th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Thank you for the kind words and thoughts.