In light of the events that have transpired in our family this last week, I'm going to take a break from the subject of autism for purposes of this post. Bo was a very special member of our family. The kids adored him, almost as much as he adored them. It is with very heavy hearts that we bade him good-bye on June 12, 2009. We know he is in heaven chasing squirrels and swimming in the ocean. We miss you, buddy.
Dear Bo,
I remember the first time I met you. You had the kindest eyes and the most gentle demeanor I had ever seen in any animal. You won my heart at first glance. I knew you were special.
As time passed, I was amazed at how big your heart was. You wanted nothing but happiness surrounding you. The idea of disappointing your humans was almost too much for you to bear. You were full of compassion and would gladly lend your head to be stroked if someone was feeling pain or was upset. You, too, needed encouragement to make sure all was well with your family.
I will never forget jogging with you. Somehow, you always made the run seem more bearable just by your presence beside me. You were always up for a walk, but you were never pushy in requesting one. You simply stood with a look of hope and anticipation as we laced up our shoes. One look at you, and it was impossible not to invite you along.
I have never seen pure joy as I saw in you when we would visit the NC mountains, where you loved nothing more than to run, sniff and swim in the creek. And, in your young and "middle-aged" days, how you would love to run by the 4-wheeler and bark in pure joy and excitement just at being alive. I always marveled at your speed and your endurance. You were truly a sight to behold. I spent half my time on the ride looking at you. You brought such happiness just to see the expression on your face. I will never forget it.
I still smile at the thought of a relatively large dog turning into a quivering ball of nerves at the slightest hint of a thunderstorm. You made the pug feel like a giant during those times, as it was the only time she "out toughed" you. Secretly, although I hated seeing you in distress, I loved it when you would crawl in bed with me to be cuddled and reassured as it was the only time you laid in bed with me.
You made us stop and appreciate the small things . You taught us how to enjoy the minute and the seemingly mundane. Just watching you roll in the grass, or in the sand (as you loved to do whenever we took you to the beach much to my chagrin at the time) would make me forget about my worries. You did everything 100%, with your whole body and soul. You never did anything without putting all of yourself into it.
Thank you for being the true guardian of my children. I always knew you would be great with kids, but you exceeded my expectations in every way. You were patient beyond measure, allowing the kids to roll, lay, step, sit, hug, etc on you to their heart's content. You never showed a sign of annoyance. I would venture to say that you loved having them this close to you. What a protector you were when both kids were so small, standing between them and anyone or anything you did not know or perceived as a threat, laying beside them on the floor as they learned to sit and crawl. I could almost feel your influence on them as you cheered them on to learn and grow. Thank you for loving them. Thank you for being their first pet and, therefore, always holding a special place in their heart.
Saying good-bye to you was so incredibly painful. I always knew the day would come, especially as you grew older and, in the past weeks, became visibly ill. Somehow I thought this would help prepare me, but in the end, it did not. I think because I knew you were so special, it was so difficult to think of my world without you. I have to stop myself from looking for you or listening for you, as it has become habit over the years. My mind still plays tricks on me, making me think I hear you walking around or see you move out of the corner of my eye. It will take my brain and my soul a little while to get used to this. The pug, too, is having a hard time adjusting to the absence of her long-time friend. It feels too quiet around here.
We were so blessed to share in your life, to be chosen to be your family. You brought so much to us and made us a more loving family. You never asked for anything other than our love and an occasional scratch behind the ears. You showed gratitude for everything, and you always gave more than you took. You were the icon of unconditional love.
Good-bye, dear friend. One day we will see you at the rainbow bridge.
Dear Bo,
I remember the first time I met you. You had the kindest eyes and the most gentle demeanor I had ever seen in any animal. You won my heart at first glance. I knew you were special.
As time passed, I was amazed at how big your heart was. You wanted nothing but happiness surrounding you. The idea of disappointing your humans was almost too much for you to bear. You were full of compassion and would gladly lend your head to be stroked if someone was feeling pain or was upset. You, too, needed encouragement to make sure all was well with your family.
I will never forget jogging with you. Somehow, you always made the run seem more bearable just by your presence beside me. You were always up for a walk, but you were never pushy in requesting one. You simply stood with a look of hope and anticipation as we laced up our shoes. One look at you, and it was impossible not to invite you along.
I have never seen pure joy as I saw in you when we would visit the NC mountains, where you loved nothing more than to run, sniff and swim in the creek. And, in your young and "middle-aged" days, how you would love to run by the 4-wheeler and bark in pure joy and excitement just at being alive. I always marveled at your speed and your endurance. You were truly a sight to behold. I spent half my time on the ride looking at you. You brought such happiness just to see the expression on your face. I will never forget it.
I still smile at the thought of a relatively large dog turning into a quivering ball of nerves at the slightest hint of a thunderstorm. You made the pug feel like a giant during those times, as it was the only time she "out toughed" you. Secretly, although I hated seeing you in distress, I loved it when you would crawl in bed with me to be cuddled and reassured as it was the only time you laid in bed with me.
You made us stop and appreciate the small things . You taught us how to enjoy the minute and the seemingly mundane. Just watching you roll in the grass, or in the sand (as you loved to do whenever we took you to the beach much to my chagrin at the time) would make me forget about my worries. You did everything 100%, with your whole body and soul. You never did anything without putting all of yourself into it.
Thank you for being the true guardian of my children. I always knew you would be great with kids, but you exceeded my expectations in every way. You were patient beyond measure, allowing the kids to roll, lay, step, sit, hug, etc on you to their heart's content. You never showed a sign of annoyance. I would venture to say that you loved having them this close to you. What a protector you were when both kids were so small, standing between them and anyone or anything you did not know or perceived as a threat, laying beside them on the floor as they learned to sit and crawl. I could almost feel your influence on them as you cheered them on to learn and grow. Thank you for loving them. Thank you for being their first pet and, therefore, always holding a special place in their heart.
Saying good-bye to you was so incredibly painful. I always knew the day would come, especially as you grew older and, in the past weeks, became visibly ill. Somehow I thought this would help prepare me, but in the end, it did not. I think because I knew you were so special, it was so difficult to think of my world without you. I have to stop myself from looking for you or listening for you, as it has become habit over the years. My mind still plays tricks on me, making me think I hear you walking around or see you move out of the corner of my eye. It will take my brain and my soul a little while to get used to this. The pug, too, is having a hard time adjusting to the absence of her long-time friend. It feels too quiet around here.
We were so blessed to share in your life, to be chosen to be your family. You brought so much to us and made us a more loving family. You never asked for anything other than our love and an occasional scratch behind the ears. You showed gratitude for everything, and you always gave more than you took. You were the icon of unconditional love.
Good-bye, dear friend. One day we will see you at the rainbow bridge.
Oh Tricia, what a lovely tribute to an amazing and wonderful family friend. I am so very sorry for your loss, and for the kid loss of a great guardian and fun comrade. I am sure it will take a long time to overcome such a sad loss.
ReplyDeleteBo sounds like he lived a great life doing what he loved to do. And he really sounds like he was an outstanding family pet. I am sure he knew how much he was loved and appreciated by you.
Jennifer