To Schatz....

The house is quiet without him; although there were many times it would be hard to know he was even around, especially lately, it’s different without him.  The places where his bed laid and the spot where we had his bowls….

I didn’t know how I would feel when Schatzchen, our beloved dog, decided it was time for him to go, and I had a feeling that when Franki and I left for 10 days, that when we said goodbye to him, it would be the last.  When I got a text message from Jack one morning asking me to call him, I knew what he was about to tell me.  Even though I knew Schatz would one day move on to new adventures, and even though he lived a full life and was 14 ½, and there were signs indicating that he would soon make his transition, the finality of his departure still lingers.  Having Schatzchen around just felt good.  There was hardly a time when he wasn’t with us, no matter where we went.  And so now, the house feels different; it feels quieter somehow, like there’s space to be filled.  And even though I know that I can still talk to him and he’s not ever really “gone”, not being able to see him, and not being able to stroke his ears in the way that he enjoyed, and not having him be in the car, or hearing his contented sighs, or the sound of his nails on the floor, or throwing the ball for him…not experiencing him in his usual physical form makes me so aware of his absence.  He was the best dog I’ve ever had, a great companion, a great playmate, a soother and an uplifter, and a teacher.  I miss him, yes I do, and I wish I could bring him back and I wish he could have lived forever.  I think he planned for Franki and I to be away.  I think he knew it was time.  I think I was inspired to take a trip with Franki at this time, and I think Schatzchen knew it would be easiest for us that way.  The perfect goodbye was not to say goodbye at all…..