Last Breath

A vision came to me in the night, a very lucid dream.  My favorite dog of all my years lay on the ground, he had been given the dose of medicine that was to take him from all his little pain.  Mind you that I had been awoken at approximately midnight on February 19, 2009 in Kabul and my first thought was of that little dog.  Ten minutes later, my wife had called with the dog in her lap, he had taken his last breath - yes 10 minutes prior - he had reached out one last time to his master - on his last day and across the world 7,000 miles to say good bye.  Across the vastness of land and oceans - a dog can reach his master.

Back to my lucid dream last night... My dog, Skipper lay beside me and I realized that he was gone.  I reached down and could see my hand touch him on his side.  I placed my hand there on his left side (he always favored laying on his right side) on his little rib cage, whereupon he took his last breath, sighed as he exhaled, and in his way said, "good bye."  

I went home in May.  Things were different.  I had not adjusted to the void of the little pup...it just did not seem right to not have him there...The house was different.  Quiet. 

This dream has been on my mind today and that vision - so clear - keeps reoccurring.  Here it is, almost four months after the passing of that pup and he still returns to remind me of his faithfulness and loyalty.  Why does a dog have this effect on me?  I learned many lessons of life through that little creature.  

I gained much more from my little follower, my little companion than I ever gave back.  No matter my mood or feelings, he was always there to greet me.  Cheerful, loving, loyal, playful, and faithful to his last day.    I yearn to give to others as he did to me.  I will always miss that little pup...