“In Sickness and In Health”

Interesting. We mostly recall this legendary saying, “In Sickness and In Health”, along with “Til Death do us Part…”, in Wedding Ceremonies. Whenever I sign up with another person or animal, I assume it is forever, no matter what. I plunge into the relationship full throttle. This last year for me, has been a series of “Letting Go”. Letting go of all my furniture and furnishings in Florida, letting go of some pretty big relationships in my life, and letting go of trying to “fix” people or situations, that never asked to be fixed, by the way, and letting go of some secrets and very bad memories.

I now have these two beloved creatures that have been in my life for many years now, and it is obvious they are getting older. I need to slow down when I am with one of them in particular. Sometimes I get frustrated. I need to fill my day up with alot of other things. So I think,anyway. She reminds me, that the true happiness of life is in each moment. Each smile that she gives to a stranger, each wag of her tail….. because she is so grateful to be still getting around so well, reminds me that these are the important things she is teaching me now.  She demands presence from me. I do feel that I am there for her in sickness and in health, yet I find myself getting really scared to  “lose” her to God sometime soon. As the seasons change with the wind, another year will pass and my time with her will change like the beautiful leaves of autumn, when they suddenly burst alive in colour, then slowly, gracefully, they tumble down…. succumbing  to the dead of winter. I can feel this kind of journey creeping up on us and it makes me sad. Very sad. But she has taught me well. I am going to pick more flowers with her. I am going to take her to the beach more. I am going to love her up as much as I can. She always insists on walking to the park, no matter what her legs say. I will fulfill her wishes as much as I can. I will be joyful for her on her days when she can almost trot, and I will be whispering in her ear, and rubbing her belly on those days when she is not. As Mother Nature brings us into the colder months, instead of grumbling about my cold nose and feet, I will be there for my Pup ….In Sickness and In Health, for she has, and always will be…..one of the most precious gifts, one could ever ask for, in life.