Author's note: I don’t typically write personal pieces like this. But this was written from a place of loss, and I’m sharing it for anyone who has ever loved an animal and had to let them go.
Come…
She arrived full of life, youth, and enthusiasm.
Sass and style. Yes, she was a true red.
To watch her in the sun was mesmerizing, the light glistening in her coat as she moved with grace. She was beautiful, strong, intelligent, and loving.
I thanked God for bringing her into my life.
Her road to me was not an easy one. She had been abandoned on the side of the road in a small town outside of Houston. Fate and my 34th birthday brought us together. From the moment I saw her, I vowed to rescue her from the life she had known and give her purpose, safety, and the same love she so freely gave me.
She would suffer no more.
She noticed everything. Her eyes were always aware of her surroundings. Strong yet gentle. Devoted, loyal, and full of love. We connected immediately. She was mine, and she knew she was loved. She gave that love back tenfold. Happiness is what she brought to my heart. Security is what she brought to my family.
With a simple wave and a word, she was by my side.
Come…
And we would play.
Running and dancing across the lawn.
She would smile, tilt her head, and walk toward me, grinning and eager, reaching out with her paws when she wanted more attention.
Come…
And with a pat on the ground, we would rest side by side, safe and content. She was always there when I needed her. Many moments were spent talking, sharing silence, just being together. Though the conversations were one-sided, she always seemed to know when I needed her. Her attention. Her presence. Her nose in my face, followed by a kiss.
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Unconditional love.
Twelve years later, the love remained, but her body could no longer keep up with her spirit. Her once vibrant red coat had dulled. The look in her eyes told me what I had been trying not to accept. Her mind was still sharp. Her heart was still full. But time had done its quiet, cruel work. And eventually, I knew it was time.
Come…
I said, though her legs were now too weak. She tried so hard, but she could not rise. I bent down and gathered her in my arms, carrying her the final distance. Now it was my turn to protect her.
I laid her gently in the car. For a brief moment, her personality returned as we took our final ride together. Tired and broken, she did not know what awaited her. As I carried her into the office, doubt and heartbreak followed every step.
I sat with her.
Held her.
Loved on her.
Tears falling as she drifted to sleep.
Just before she left me, I whispered one last thing into her ear.
Come…
Please come back to me.
Please don’t leave me.
In the midst of my tears, she quietly passed.
Just as she had always been there for me, I was there for her.
As I had promised twelve years earlier, she would suffer no more.
March 19, 2014
As any loyal, loving dog would, she obeyed my final wish.
She came back to me.
Now she is with me in a place of honor and remembrance.
There she will sit and stay, forever, my loyal dog.
My friend.
My trusted companion.
Katy Rose
March 1, 2001 — May 12, 2014
