Sunday, April 27, 2014

The Short Walk



The ferocity of the past winter is no stranger to any of us. It was a bad winter, and the effects of it can still be felt and seen.  Walking outside was difficult, unlike previous years, in milder winters, when I could walk with the dogs almost daily.   I have recounted walking with Brodi and Sunny on this blog before.  Walking the dogs is a huge part of my life.  Most days, it’s a twice a day event.  But now, well, time has taken its toll.   Brodi is twelve, a ripe old age for a hundred pound dog.  By all accounts, and a total of our daily miles, we have walked the equivalent of the width of the United States and half way back again.  That would put us in the Midwest, home, right where we started.  And it’s time to stop, to rest.  Brodi is on the short walk now.  He can make it down the end of the street and back, but even those days are numbered.  He still wants to go, but there’s no question that the journey causes him pain that can’t be relieved.  

One of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do is leave him behind, and go on a journey with just Sunny at my side.  The long walk will never be the same again.  Even the two year old next door notices that there's something missing these days, "Larry (sounds like Warry), where's your other puppy?" he calls out as Sunny and I walk by... "He's resting," I answer..."He's resting."

For now, Brodi is comfortable on his love seat, and we enjoy every second of every day that he is still with us.


4 comments:

Tom Cochrun said...

Larry-
A poignant post. All the best to your old boy Brodi and to you.

Larry D. Sweazy said...

Thanks, Tom. This is the hard part of sharing your life with an animal...

David Cranmer said...

I can imagine the sadness in his eyes wanting to be there but just too tired to tag along.

Larry D. Sweazy said...

Thanks, David. Once the want to leaves, then it will be really sad for us. But we've had 12 great years, and Brod has been the dog of a lifetime.