From the Spinone Chronicles Author: Nick Monte ©Copyright 2013 Acts of True Love The waves of grief lap at the shores of sorrow and their motion is fueled by memories of times past. We who have lost a beloved pet can relate to those memories of a time when our pets took on the role of intruder; always coming around when they were least welcomed. We thought, many times, they were seeking attention and always at a moment when it was the last thing we wanted to give them because of some seemingly more important task we were facing. When they bring a toy in their mouths; when they hit you with a paw; when they bark; when they destroy something around the house; have often been interpreted as pesty behviour. In reality, these were acts of true love. These were acts of the pet you loved showing they loved you too; they just weren’t able to show it in a human way. Nothing opened my eyes as much as witnessing Justin’s last act of true love. It was three months ago today, having returned from Auburn University Animal Hospital, when we realized that Justin was not going to make it. It was three months ago tonight that we made the commitment to have our Vet come to our house on Saturday. Saturday morning I had a business appointment that had to be kept. Knowing Justin’s failing condition, it was decided that Rita would stay home with JB while I took Niko, Neve and Stitch with me. It was a rather long drive ahead of us and we felt that Justin was too weak to participate. The boys were all loaded in the van and I was about to open the drivers door when our kitchen door flew open and Rita yelled; “wait, Justin wants too go!” And there he was, displaying, what would become, his last act of true love. He wanted to be with his brothers and us. He endured the ride in relative comfort. We got home with a little under two hours to spend with him. By then, he was ready. Unfortunately, we were not. As I look back over his life, I remember the times he showed us his love. He was either by my side or Rita’s. He was our “doctor”, always tending to our wounds or “boo-boos’. He was my hunting buddy and his heart burst with pride when he retrieved a quail or pheasant; just for me. He danced on my chest in the mornings telling me how much he relied on me to feed him. The memories of how I may have failed to return all the love he gave to me over the years come back in those waves of grief. All of you who have lost a beloved pet know too well what those waves of grief are like. So, the next time your pet “interferes” with what you’re doing, he/she is, in the only way they can, are saying, “I love you”. Don’t miss out on those opportunites. For they are truly Acts of Love -30-
Posted on: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 01:55:36 +0000
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