On September 8, my beloved dog Echo died at the age of 13.
Fortunately, she didn’t suffer long and was able to pass peacefully at home with those who loved her.
As you can imagine, this past week has been very difficult. In between our tears, my family and I have been remembering our favorite memories of her.
Here are a few of mine:
Some mornings, Echo would come to my bedroom door, which would be closed…sniff the bottom, and often scratch at the door. Sometimes I would already be up and would hear her. I would come to the door, lay on the floor, reach under the door, and begin talking to her…tapping her nose and paws. I would open up the door, and she would get all excited, wagging her tail. She would run back to my parents as if to say, “I got her up. I got her up.”
Echo also loved to sit on the enclosed front porch and be on what we would call “guard duty”. We have this set of small storage bins up against the windows, and Echo would often sit on one. We always knew Echo found something to get excited about because we would hear her running back and forth between them.
Sometimes she would wait for me to come back from walking dogs. One day as I was getting closer to home, I saw her on the porch looking out the window. I called out to her. She jumped off the bins, ran back into the house, and was waiting for me as I came in.
And that is just a few of the hundreds of memories that I am going to be carrying with me for the rest of my life.
I would like to dedicate the well-known following poem, The Rainbow Bridge, in memory of “my baby girl”:
The Rainbow Bridge Poem
Author Unknown
Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water, and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in a joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you walk across Rainbow Bridge together.
Goodbye, my sweet Echo…
I love you.
I miss you.
I’ll see you soon on that bridge.
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