King of the Mountain

This past Tuesday I had to have Jake, my wonderful dog and companion, put down. He had toe cancer. Apparently black male standard poodles are prone to toe cancer. Sounds almost silly. It's not. Jake was 10 years old.

We had two of his toes removed a couple of years ago, and we made the decision that if other toes became cancer-ridden, that we weren't going to keep cutting off body parts. It was a hard decision.

When Jake was a puppy, he would climb up on this large rock (nearly 5 feet high) in our front yard. Often he would be holding a frisbee in his mouth that he had successfully retrieved. We called him "King of the Mountain."

And he really was King of the Mountain.

It's odd coming home without seeing his big fluffy "fro," and that dangling pink tongue. Jake was big and black, and strangers were always terrified of him. So funny considering he was essentially a 75lb lap dog. Jake was truly the best dog ever.

I miss him.

Last year this time I had to put down my horse Arete because of tumors behind her eyes that were causing her pain. She was 26. You can find her portrait in the Forever Sky break room. She looked exactly like Sky. I miss her too.

When I got home yesterday, I sat down at my desk and the first thing I saw was a picture of Leslie and her horse, Rico. Looking at the picture brought fresh tears to my eyes. Like Arete, Rico was 26 years old when he crossed over the rainbow bridge. He went quietly. One day they simply found him lying down in the field. Peaceful. At rest.

Are we gluttons for punishment? We take these creatures into our homes and hearts. They become family. And yet we are destined to lose them.

Sky will be 26 next month. And while she acts like a bratty 3-year-old, I know she's not. I sometimes wonder when I'll have to say goodbye.

But it's not something I dwell on.

Losing Jake was hard, but it reaffirms for me my belief that you never know when your last moment alive will be. Nothing is certain. And so we must live every day in a way that fulfills us and makes us proud. We must live with Integrity. Joy. Fortitude. Reckless abandon. Tenderness. Compassion. And most of all, Love.

Take time today--and everyday--to really hug your family and your friends. Pet your dogs and cats. Wrap your arms around your horse. Take a moment to cherish the living beings in your life, whether they walk on two legs or four. Tell them you love them.

Take time to do the things that are really important.

Love more. Laugh more. Live more.