04/11/2019
This is a letter to a couple in my neighborhood. I don’t know their names and we’ve never met, but I hope this somehow reaches them.
I drove past you several times this winter while you were out with your dog. If you have children, they weren’t with you. It was just the two of you and your Golden Retriever. You were pulling him in a sled along the icy streets of our neighborhood.
Your dog, face fully white not with snow but with years of happy memories, rode contentedly in the sled. All three of you were smiling, enjoying a day out as a family.
It was easy to imagine the three of you in years past, with your Golden romping happily alongside you, or perhaps even pulling that same sled. It was clear that his romping days were behind him, and even walking alongside you was now just a memory.
You could have left it at that. You could have left him at home while the two of you enjoyed an easy walk without the sled. But you knew that walks around the neighborhood were one of your dog’s joys in life, so you brought him along. Day after day after day.
When time catches up with our furry family members and they can no longer do the things they love in life, we find ourselves facing a difficult decision. We search their faces for signs of pain or joy, never sure when the day will come, or even if we’ll know when it does.
Some dogs are put down as soon as they become inconvenient, but not your Golden. You must have watched his face the first time he rode in the sled, and saw the same, happy expression that I saw. Although he couldn’t get around on his own, he obviously still enjoyed living, and I would guess that these ride-along outings were the highlights of his days.
I haven’t seen you for a while, and I can guess what that probably means.
If your Golden is no longer with you, I’m sure the pain is still fresh. But I wanted you to know that you did more than just give your dog happiness in his latter days; you inspired those of us who saw you. Our dogs give us years of happiness, reduce stress, lengthen our lives. Do we owe them any less? Clearly you thought not.
The oldest of my three dogs, a whippet named McKenzie, is in her December. Getting around is difficult—her legs don’t work quite right anymore. Although she enjoys our outings, lately they include a few slips in the mud, and she sometimes needs our help getting back up again. It’s painful to see, and worrisome that she might injure herself.
As I look into her eyes and search for the emotions behind them, I see that spark of happiness is still there. These outings, difficult as they may be, are still a highlight of her days.
Thank you, my neighbors, for what you did for your dog, and also what you did for people like me that saw you. You are truly an inspiration. You may see me in the coming days walking those same streets. You’ll know me as the guy pulling the wagon with the whippet riding in back.
Mark Robokoff
Owner
AK Bark
PS: If you’re at all inclined to share this story, please do. I would love for my neighbors to see it.
