Sweepy On My Mind . . .

Was it ten years ago?

. . . when this wonderful furry creature came into my life!
"But I can not afford to have another dog!"
I said out loud when I saw him the first time.
And I said the same thing
the year before he was born
when his black brother Bogart was born!
Two dogs was the rule.
We can only care for two dogs.
But I stubbornly insisted on keeping two more!
What a challenge to insist on keeping this family in 2002:
The mother Pica (then 11yo), the father Sumo (2yo),
Bogart (1yo) and then the pup Sweepy!
To do that meant:
less travel, less time-consuming researches and grants,
less meetings, less outings (gimmick nights) . . .
. . . and more of home-time,
more hugging, more laughter,
more heart-tugging experiences,
more discovery in nature,
and finding the divinity within
and not without . . .
How can an animal bring out the best in you?
. . . when you bring out the best in them
and realized that, in turn,
your very best lie in the simple,
the mundane, the genre,
the slow passing of time,
that wild laughter and healing tears . . .
This Sunday, on his 10th birthday,
Sweepy ate the chicken butt!
There is a funny saying in Pilipino
that when people eat chicken's butt
they become talkative!
Haha! I probably ate one in my childhood!
And after much hugging and singing
I watch this active senior dog in my lap,
now without his family except for me,
and touch the 'lump' on his side
(coincidentally, I also have a lump on the same side!)
and kiss his moody eyes
as he left me to go and visit his loved ones . . .
Do dogs grieve?
Probably.
But what I do know is that
I grieve when they grieve
and I am completely goofy happy
just being with them.
Happy Birthday, Sweepy!
Hang on, stay young, stay happy
and make me drooly yours for life!