That hole you made

Dear Dakota,

She’s just not as good at it as you were, buddy. Look at the picture down there, dude. She’s simply not as good at it as you were.

In the first place, she doesn’t look up when we come inside. She’s so submissive, so she looks down and wiggles. You were submissive, too, but you lifted your head to look at us briefly. Little eye contact, of course, but we understood that about you.

And then there’s the tail issue. We could hear your mighty tail thumping all the way up the stairs, beating out a rhythm of welcome. She has no real tail, nothing to make noise with.

Don’t get me wrong–we love her as much as you did and we are taking very good care of her. She’s your baby, after all. But she’s not you. Nobody else is you. And now, 2 days short of 15 months after you hustled out of our lives, I still get tears in my eyes thinking about you, especially about your departure. Anyway, I love you, sweet potato.

If I’d known how much of my heart you would take when you left, would I have let you knit yourself into the fabric of my heart so tightly that your absence would unravel so much? I would. It’s mending, sweet boy.  And it was worth it. All of it and then some. We’d stop the car again. We’d make the long ride home again. We’d take the leg again. You were really never any trouble at all, DD.

Love,

Your Woman

2013-10-03 17.19.25

Author: Dakota Dawg

Dakota lived high in Colorado and was a member of the February Furballs. He lost a front leg to soft tissue sarcoma on 2-11-11. Dakota impulsively decided to see what the whole "rainbow bridge" business was about on 12-15-12 and before we could stop him, he was gone. But never forgotten. Never.

4 thoughts on “That hole you made”

  1. Wow, I can’t believe its been almost 15 months since that boy crossed the bridge. He was such a beautiful dog and you made him yours. God Blessed you when you stopped that car and took him under your wing. You are the best mom that he could have ever had.

    Hugs
    Michelle & Angel Sassy

  2. We sure miss Dakota. I still think back fondly to your visit with us, he was so sweet and gentle, but not too submissive, while Wyatt and Evelyn just bulldozed their way around him creating a path of destruction. All the while, dignified Dakota just hung out, being so chill and sweet.

    What a very special, once in a lifetime doggie of yours.

  3. Shari, you articulate words from your heart so beautifully.

    I love it when you share your snippets of Dakota Dawg’s journey with all of us. It means a lot. It’s such a privilege to get to ow more about him..about the two of you…and, of course, Sweet Evelyn. And it’s so life affirming.

    When you least expect it, listen closely…..yeah, it wasn’t your imagination…that was his tail wagging at you and thanking you for the best life ever…..thump…thump…thump.

    Love, lots of it.

    Sally and Happy Hannah

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