As the tagline in the listing above says…this blog is a few things about music, and a lot of things about my dog. Sadly, it’s been a little over a month since my dog Chip died. I’ve been thinking a lot about why this has been so incredibly sad - besides the obvious things like: he was a member of the family, he was always happy to see me, etc.
When I think about it more, I realize, a relationship with a dog (or pet - I just have experience with dogs) is so incredibly pure. The many times each day that I would tell him I loved him, or call him a good boy, or tell him he was so handsome, or he would give me some tail wags, or follow me from room to room, or sit next to me just so he could be touching me with his nose - we were just in a consistent state of loving reminders: he always wanted me to know that he loved me, and I wanted him to know the same thing. So pure. So genuine.
This was the cute face waiting to greet me each morning.
So of course, I’ve been incredibly sad. I actually couldn’t stop crying for awhile, and I thought I was getting a little over the top until I concluded that this dog deserved to be cried over. He deserves me mourning him. He deserves the many messages, texts, emails, and condolence cards that I’ve received, because he was just good. And when we lose something good, it should be acknowledged honestly.
There are many lessons to learn from our pets, but one of the greatest lessons that Chip taught me was to enjoy the moment. Take an extra breath, wander and explore, celebrate things that you love (in his case: sticks, the beach, rocks, and visitors), and move at your own pace - the pace that feels right for that moment.
A few weeks ago, I was in Connecticut, and spent some beautiful spring days on a trail near our house. It happened to be one of Chip’s favorite spots as well, so it served as a way to feel like I was still kind of spending some time with him. It brought me some comfort. I took a picture so that I could remember the moment, and actually took a short recording so that I could challenge myself to listen to the birds, feel the breeze, and breathe deeply.
One of our favorite spots to explore together.
Eventually I’ll think about Chip without crying. Someday I’ll be able to just tell the funny stories and laugh at this goofy good boy. For now, I still get choked up, and that’s ok - like I said, he deserves it.
If you’d like to hear what this picture sounded like, you can listen to the recording here. It’s 18 seconds long, enough time for a breath or two.
Stay tuned for some thoughts on hope, a new version of my old song Keep Hope Alive, as well as upcoming travels. And enjoy the little shifts coming to my website bit by bit - some of these photos and designs need a little upgrade, so more changes are on the way!