We sleep on the floor in the living room with you
When you can no longer use
The stairs up to bed
We hold your head and feed you
When the disease spins lies to your brain
Saying that eating is a bad idea
We stop time together
Putting the world on hold
To make our brief hours here full, warm, and happy
We invite best friends over to play
Right on through our shared pain
Until there is only laughter
And we reminisce
Like that time you just knew
How an almost perfect moment could be improved upon by one stolen sock
We listen closely
Past the jagged nagging of our breaking hearts
So that we can hear and know when you’re ready to go
Then we sit beside you, telling you how much we love you
Through tears, without shame
Dragging our sorry selves to a state of rest, peace
So that uber-empathetic you can feel more peace than sadness as you leave us
We go home without you
Through a bright cold world that feels hollow
Down abandoned streets
To a house that echoes empty
And we begin without you to warm ourselves
By honoring you
And through you
Honoring ourselves.
You didn’t only teach us
Like we thought you did
The amazing way that you loved your whole life
Nope
You taught us
How we love
This is how we love
Huh. Wow.
This is how we love.
Thank you, Grady.
What an amazing poem and such a great way to share with the world what a really amazing dog Grady was. His big heart and affection for life will always be missed and leave a hole in my heart. Each and every day I know that I’ll try to be the person that he thought I was when I walked in the door. His unending love and joy for the moments shared will always be a beacon for me on a great way to live my life in a world that seems smaller without him in it.
I also know that as much as he would love you poem, he always loved a little more rhyming in his poems.
Grady was a dog so awesome
Always stopping to smell the flowers that blossom
Never stopping to pee in the rain
Unless the smell of rosemary was to gain
Heading out for a walk
was as good as a fireplace talk
After a big run have to sleep on the rug
always with time to wake up for a hug
Going for a ride is always a blast
especially when the car drives fast
On my last ride I left you with this
In the parks and places so near
you have nothing to fear
I’ll always be hear
In your heart and in your day
Celebrate me in every way
Drink from the bowl, jump on the bed
play with a ball, love all that is said
Be good to each other and sing a happy tune
For I’ll be watching you at the park soon.
You two are absolutely amazing. Grady knew he had special people, and that made him give his all….and what a lot he had to give. Please know how very much I love you and loved him. I miss you both and hope you can feel my hugs. Mom
That’s totally awesome! This is my favorite part. Inspired!
“In your heart and in your day
Celebrate me in every way
Drink from the bowl, jump on the bed
play with a ball, love all that is said”
That sounds so like Grady and also very much like Dr. Seuss from our childhoods. Maybe Grady was his reincarnation! 🙂
Love you honey!
Saying goodbye is always hard. There is never a good time, and we then are faced with the choice to make the worst of it, or make the best of it. The things that bring us love and peace in this world are so very precious, and when they’re gone, we can keep them alive by sharing that love through memories. Thank you for sharing Grady and your love for him with us. He was such a big-hearted sweetie of a pup.
Thanks Tabitha. 🙂
We have so much to learn from the love we give, so much to receive. And then when we can give and receive no longer, we have the love of that love that we give to each other.
Thanks Bernie. Speaking of love, Daniel and I have stolen your personal sabbath idea and it’s been sustaining us this month through our stress and grief. Love that your love has sustained and strengthed our love. Thank you.