09/22/2026
It is with the heaviest heart that I write this. Even now, my tears blur the words before they can take form, the weight of this moment is heavier than I ever imagined.
Today, I had to say goodbye to my buddy. He was, and always will be, a part of me.
He was my mirrored soul, my energy, my witness to every chapter of my life. He waited for me at the door, ran beside me through the wild, listened without judgment when the world was too much. He saw every version of me. And I, him. The hopeful, the broken, the reckless…and we loved each other all the same. And now, words feel inadequate to express the depth of that love.
Looking back, I carry regrets. I wish I had hugged him more, been present more, chosen him over distractions more often. There were times he asked for my attention, a walk, an adventure, and I let the trivial steal those moments from us. But among those regrets, one truth remains unwavering… I never regret the privilege of knowing him, and watching him grow. I never regret the years we had, the love he was surrounded by, or the simple bond we shared.
He has journeyed somewhere beyond my reach now, to a plane I can’t follow…at least, not yet. But I like to believe that, in time, our atoms will collide again, that the universe will find a way to bring us back together.
The day I brought him home, I knew what was coming. “Uh oh”, I thought, as if I could already feel the love settling in, as if I knew even then that loving him would one day mean losing him. And yet, he taught me to proceed anyway.
A dogs time is borrowed. But we are in their lives forever. From the moment they meet us to the moment they leave, they know only the love we give them. And in that, I find comfort. In that, I find honor. I was lucky to be the one to give him that love. As was my family.
Dogs don’t let a single moment pass without reminding us that our hearts beat many times a day…and with every look, every excited tail wag, every kiss, they are giving pieces of themselves to us. I will always be grateful for what he gave me. And I will carry every bit of him with me always.
I love you, buddy. I’ll miss you forever. Until we meet again.
