Letting Go

I recently had to make the difficult decision to have one of our dogs put to sleep. To this day, I still wonder whether it was something that I should have done sooner.

I could see that he had slowed down, but there were still periodic flashes of my old Oreo. He would dance and play, even if only for a few minutes. He ate his meals with an enthusiasm that never seemed to waiver.

But I also knew that each day was more of a struggle than the previous one. I found myself having to carry him up and down the stairs as he would rarely attempt them. Solitude seemed to be his desired companion more than me.

Each morning as I rose, I wondered whether it was time. Would it be better for him? Was he suffering? And of course, “Was I being selfish?”

If only he could have told me that the time had arrived, although perhaps he did indirectly. Instead, I relied on our veterinarian who assured us that he was not in pain but that we would know when the time had arrived.

And it did. One morning, I found the courage to take him for one final car ride.

Dear God, give me the strength to face life's difficult moments. Amen. — DR