A Grand Adventure

Well friends…while I may be the world famous canine explorer, this week I learned there are some adventures we have to go on alone. My Grandma (Gram) passed over the rainbow bridge this week. I spent many long days waiting for my hoomans to return – they were constantly running here and there spinning in a state of chaos. A lot of other hoomans were coming in and out, bringing food and giving me extra pets. Family I havent seen in a while were pulling into my driveway at all hours of the night.

My hooman explained to me, that even though we were all overjoyed that Gram got to walk across the rainbow bridge – we all have to stay behind. We won’t see her again until it is our turn to go over. Then I realized…I lost my number one fan! My whole world felt upside down. I didn’t know what to do – I just wanted to snuggle and sleep. 

See, Gram had a way of making me feel like the most important canine in the whole wide world. EVERYTHING I did was AMAZING! I could never do anything wrong in the eyes of my Gram. If I accidentally ate a cookie off the coffee table, Gram would say hoomans shouldn’t leave food where I could get to it. If I destroyed a stuffy toy and left stuffing everywhere – she would tell me how smart I was at getting the squeaky out. If I was too hyper – Gram would tell the hoomans to take me for more walks. If I’d shake my furry coat in the house – she would tell hoomans to brush me more. And my all time favorite…Gram would let me get on the couch! She once told my hooman that if I get my hair on the couch – they should just use a vacuum to clean it up. But now…she is gone. So who is going to be on MY side? 

I am a bit worried she will not be here to remind my hoomans of how amazing and smart I am. To let me on the couch or forgive me unconditionally when a cookie accidentally falls into my mouth. My hooman spent many many hours in deep conversations with Gram about how to care for things, cook things, raise the other pups, fix things, and solve problems big and small. Since Gram was my hooman’s trainer, she taught her to be patient and “wait”, to look at things from others point of view, and to not take things too seriously. 

Gram was always laughing about something and I think she may have had some secret powers too! She could make the whole house happier just by walking into a room. I could be feeling great and Gram would give me a little scratch behind the ears and I felt even BETTER! Now we are all going to have to figure all this life stuff out without her and that feels scary. Even though there are all kinds of hoomans around – I can’t help but feel a bit lonely. The world feels different without Gram in it.  

So friends, as we head into another week…remember some of us are headed into the unknown. Losing loved ones is an adventure we all must travel (whether we like it our not). All I can say is be as brave as you can and take care of each other. We are all going over the rainbow bridge someday, but until it is our turn…love each other fiercely and remember what my Gram always said…”this too shall pass – it will all work out – just wait and see”. 

I will miss you forever Gram! Until we meet again…

Bark at you next week.

Your friend,