Farewell, Shadow Sunshine

Blogging Friends.... My day at our beach was lovely!! Just lovely. The weather was unusually warm and sunny!! My nose become a little pink, even!! Imagine that!! Usually, we deal with overcast skies and seemingly freezing cold weather at our beach!! My right calf is also very sore--still!!--triggered from an old injury back in November, but it will subside!! The tight, itchy sensation always does!! No worries....

Two years ago, my heart shattered, like when some clear glass falls, the force of gravity taking it down sans any warning. Nobody can predict this dangerous sharp mess. No one can foresee it. Down, down, down the glass crashes, with great velocity. Only, in my case, I did see this heartbreak coming. I did see it coming.... There was a warning, and, my emotions had been long prepared for this, as best as humanly possible. For three long months. My beautiful "blond"-furred German Shepherd/Golden Retriever cross, Shadow, had been revealing unmistakable signs of old age. First stiff joints. Then white hairs across her face. And, finally, falling. Yes, falling. My weak, thin arms learned to catch her heavy body. And she was always very, very resilient!! But, two years ago last night, at 9:30 PM, Shadow fell, in front of our garage door, not far from where these words are being typed. I was feeding her, getting some chewy pizza-flavored treats, when she collapsed. "Dog down" were the words which exited my lips. Shadow could not stand up. I watched, my heart breaking, as she tried to, sans success. Shadow was a fighter, but the odds were stacked against her. Stacked against her. Resilience was proven impossible after that last collapse. I sat by my dog's side, stroking her "blond" fur nearly all night long. I only got two hours sleep. Shadow was euthanized around 2:30 PM, on June 15th 2010. I composed this poem one week later.

During that dreadful, dreadful night when you fell;
Nobody could predict death, no one could tell;
But it was such a hard collapse;
Did your hips quit on you, perhaps?
Trying hard to get up, this proved a losing fight;
So I stayed by your side nearly all through the night;
For ten years you've been faithful toward me;
This was my time to show loyalty!!
Farewell, Shadow Sunshine, farewell....
You've left lots of stories to tell!!
Wherever I go;
You will be missed so. 

It has been a positive two years, though. Because I have Rose!! For I adopted her less than three months after Shadow's passing. Practically right away!! Rose brings so much love, smiles and laughter into my life!! She is a reason why I awake each day!!