I read an excerpt yesterday that said “Knowing that you will most likely out live them, owning a pet is to open yourself up to profound joy, yet prospectively profound sadness…” Although saying goodbye and letting go of our sweet girl, Bebe, was profoundly sad and difficult, the pure joy that she brought our family over the course of ten years can’t be measured in mere words. Saying that she was a good dog is a gross understatement. She was pretty much everything anyone would want in a pet.
She was loving and loyal. She loved unconditionally. No matter what kind of day I was having, it could be made better by the love of a sweet dog who had no barriers. She just aimed to please. Many tears were shed on her shoulders and she would bear the burden of my pain. Many days of dealing with illness, she was company during lonely days and nights. She was a cuddle queen.
More than anything, she was patient to a fault! She allowed me to dress her up, wore my homemade costumes and modeled them so sweetly. She made it easy to show everyone how cute she was when she got all dressed up and showed off our latest dog pattern. She was sweet that way. But she didn’t need a crocheted outfit to show off her cuteness. She was just naturally adorable!
My mom posted this a couple days ago on Facebook, and it sums up so much in just a few words:
“She was smaller than a soda can when she first arrived in our life. A birthday gift from Fuad almost 10 years ago, he wanted another dog more than me. I got two for 1, brother and sister chihuahuas, Bebe and Rueben. She was the runt of the litter, born with a heart defect, short and plump, and a face that slightly resembled a fruit bat, but her sweetness makes her the most loving creature I know. Her loyalty knows no bounds. She lives every moment ‘in the now’. I can walk out my door, forget my keys, run back inside, and she is as happy to see me as if I was gone for a week. Tail wagging, excited dancing, happy, jumping, Bebe.
Our sweet Bebe girl is on the last leg of her life. I remain forever hopeful tonight, as I sit beside her, reflecting on this amazing dog who’s life with us has been so well lived. Her time has been filled with the kind of great memories that only a best dog can provide. How lucky we are that we get to be her family and we’re the recipients of this kind of unconditional love. Even now when you call her name, she may struggle to lift her head, and there’s no excited dancing, but her ears perk up and her tail still wags.”
I hope your tail is wagging as you make your way over that rainbow bridge, sweet girl. May you find endless fields to run and lots of friends to play. I’ll miss you.
~Nadia
