Tag Archives: Sam

Gratitude Friday

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1. New opportunities. Journal Your Life, yoga teacher training, shifts in my paid work, developing an ecourse, a home refinance that will allow us to make some renovations, Spring, a new garden, making space, asking for help where I need it.

2. Good dogs. There are just so many. It is the ONLY thing that helps me face losing another one of my good dogs–there will always be another. For example,  Jasper, a schnauzer/lab mix boy that’s about six months old, available for adoption from My Second Home Rescue. Isn’t he cute?

jasper

3. Serendipity. The Wabi-Sabi book my friend got me that magically led to the ecourse I’m creating, patiently waiting for me to notice it, to need it, and the magazine about Japan, specifically the issue about Expressing the Spirit of Zen, that Eric brought home from the library for me because he thought I’d like it, which is also helping me develop this ecourse, (teaser, or spoiler alert: Wabi-Sabi Creativity).

4. Sharing a banana with Sam. It’s our morning ritual. My first dog Obi loved bananas too. I especially love the way Sam nudges my hand with his nose while I’m unpeeling the banana, “yes, that, hurry, give me some.”

sam

5. Peach colored sky.

Bonus Joy: Another week with Dexter. It’s so strange to have him still here in Spring, when the grass is turning green and things are starting to bud and bloom. When he was first diagnosed in August, I wasn’t sure if he’d make it to see another snow. This was him this afternoon, having rolled in the grass and trying to convince his dad to throw a tennis ball for him.

dexball

Wishcasting Wednesday

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from Jamie’s post

Today Jamie asks “what’s your Spring wish?” I haven’t Wishcast in a long while, not because I don’t appreciate the practice but because I was doing too much and needed to slow down, so this was a practice that was on haitus. However, this wish felt like an opportunity I shouldn’t pass up.

You see, I was just out in the backyard playing with Dexter (and Sam too). It’s a bit cold out today, but I wanted to be outside. The grass is starting to green up and things are starting to bud and even bloom. There’s a lawn chair out from just a few days ago when it was sunny and warm.

I never thought I would see another Spring with Dexter in it. His prognosis when his cancer was diagnosed was 95 days, with his first significant symptoms a month before that, so I wasn’t even sure if he’d stay long enough to see snow again. That was almost eight months ago, and he’s still here.

And yet, living with a terminally ill pet means things can change at any time. He went to physical therapy this morning and even they noticed he was in a happier mood, was clearly feeling better. He’s getting stronger and while the tear in his knee won’t likely heal completely, he’s doing really well considering, is able to be moderately and carefully active. That made me feel really good, but then just a few hours later, he sneezed a few times and there was blood, so I shifted to feeling sad. This is how it goes.

So my Spring wish is in two parts: May I be able to remain fully present with Dexter while he is still here, and when it’s time for him to go, may he have an easy death.