When the Heart is Hurting…
“Every
good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the
heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” *
Although
it has been a year since our little lab passed away, I’m still feeling his loss
acutely. TJ was the last of six wonderful dogs who were part of our family during
43 years of marriage. He was the only black lab—his five predecessors were all
golden retrievers.
In 2012, when it was time to begin searching
for another canine pet, a picture of a young golden retriever on the internet
caught my attention. We loved goldens! However, there was one condition:
whoever adopted him would also have to adopt the black lab with whom he had
bonded! The two buddies were the same age, about a year old, and in desperate
need of a new home.
We
agreed to adopt them both. It was a good decision, even though they were both
rambunctious in their youth, tended to run away and listened to each other more
than they listened to us! Al turned most of the training over to me, but I
wasn’t very successful at it!
When
we moved to Michigan five years later, they had to adjust from being country
dogs to living within the confines of a house and a small backyard. They seemed
to do well, although Teddy, the golden retriever, still had a roaming instinct.
Whenever the gates were accidently left open he would escape, with TJ right at
his heels.
After
Teddy passed away in 2021, TJ transformed into a different dog. For the next four
years, he was obedient, never tried escaping from the yard, and wanted to stay
as close to me as possible.
The
two of us sauntered around the neighborhood almost every afternoon, throughout the
seasons. He knew how to get my attention when it was time to go for our walk.
If expectant looks, tail wags and raised ears didn’t work, he would grab something
out of the waste paper basket, race into the other room and rip it to shreds.
That did it!
Dinner
time involved my fixing something from the kitchen, like a hard-boiled egg and
little pieces of apple to go with his dog food. TJ would wait at the kitchen
door, howling with excitement until it was ready.
Al
and I would laugh at his antics whenever we came home from an outing. We could
see him sitting at the living room window, watching for our return. As soon as our
car drove up the driveway, the howling routine would begin.
Once
outside, he’d run in circles around the garage as fast as he could go! His
speed decreased as he got older, and he couldn’t run very far; however, he was
still overjoyed to see us. We knew the end was getting near when he stopped
appearing at the window upon our return, never waking up even when we walked
into the house.
One Sunday afternoon, TJ was lying on the
carpet, no longer able to get up on his own. Al and I knew that it was time.
Before the vet arrived, I stretched out next to him, patting him on the back
and talking to him, telling him what a good dog he was.
He
rested his paw on my arm in one final gesture of affection and love. I knew he
was thankful for the good life we had given him…and I was grateful for the fun
and companionship he had brought into our lives.
Al
and I agreed that we wouldn’t get any more dogs after TJ. Even though it made
sense and probably was the best decision for us at this stage in our lives, I
often think of him and our other pets as well, shedding a tear or two whenever
the memories return.
The
loss of members of our family, beloved pets and of dear friends brings grief, leaving
a void in our lives. In those times of heartache, may we be filled with
gratitude for such special gifts from God, realizing that He shared them with
us for a time. And may He comfort us in His arms of love.
“He
heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds…”
Psalm 147:3 NIV
“…He restores my soul.” Psalm 23: 3a NIV
“Jesus wept.” John 11:35 NIV
*James
1: 17 NIV
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