Last week ago I wrote about waiting. As of one week ago today, the wait ended. Our beloved Basenji Rascal let us know through his behavior and symptoms [see the post titled “Waiting” for the link to a helpful chart re: symptoms] that he needed to be let go and so he made one last trip to the vet. Saying goodbye to a much-loved pet is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. It has only happened twice before–once as a child and then later as an adult–but it’s been a long time and I had forgotten how much will remind you of your precious pet.
In my case, for the first few days, it seemed like everything I did was tied to his daily routines as well, resulting in much shedding of tears and extreme fatigue. Then there was a small, almost imperceptible, shift and the tightness in my body eased up. However, I found myself thinking he was in the laundry room with me one day when a tote bag hanging on the doorknob brushed up against my leg. Another time I mistook a throw pillow for his curled up form on the couch. Thankfully, for the past couple of days, I’ve been able to have more happy memories of his time in our household and the sad or painful thoughts aren’t constantly barraging my brain.
One day there will be unfettered discussions of Rascal’s tremendous time with us–e.g., how he loved his ice cubes and an assortment of human “snacks”–during those blessed four years and three months, but for now the memories are bittersweet. The man of the house misses him for, among other things, the special careful grooming sessions Rascal bestowed upon him; the son of the house has to go without special nose kisses; I even miss having my sleep disrupted by a sweet little bed hog. Rest in peace, my dear Piggly. There will always be a special place in my heart that’s yours.
Be You Very Well 