New Year, Old Dog

Here is our ancient dog that we thought was a goner several times in the past year. But! She still likes the quality of her life, the routines, the good meals, and being next to her people (who are polite enough not to notice that she really smells like an old farting dog.)

Many years ago, we invited a group of psychologists to come to our school to do workshops with the kids and staff about what it is to let go and move on. This particular one has resonated with me since then. I was directed to focus on the fact that people who are leaving let us know by being difficult. At that time I was dealing with the teenagers in my house who would soon be leaving for college - and they were just awful! They were telling me that it would be o.k. to leave. Our very old parents were hard at the end as well. They were telling us that it would be o.k. for them to leave.

Our old dog, Lola, is telling us that she would be o.k. to leave soon. We don't take walks anymore and she can barely get her hind legs to move. Sometimes she poops on the floor, and we have to carry her outside. We cannot really go anywhere because it is such an issue to get anyone to care for her in our absence. When she was younger, this was no problem. But who could ask a dog sitter to take on the geriatric issues of canine great age?

I remember this hardy little dog who ran with us on long walks and was the star of our neighborhood.We wonder how and when we'll know that her time is up?