Shelly

Shelly, my best girl, left my family and me on July 17, 1999, after a short stuggle with lymphoma. She was a sweet and faithful companion to me all her life. Even though sometimes I still weep from the emptiness of missing her, more often now I can smile remembering her beauty and purity. When I look at her picture and kiss her image, I can almost feel her silky coat and smell her fragrant warmth.

My heart still aches, though, when she is not by me to poke around in the garden, share my Cheerios, and sleep next to my bed at night. I'm sad, too, when I think about her not being here to help me put up the Christmas lights this year. Although at first my feelings of guilt and those disturbing questions about whether there is an afterlife for animals overwhelmed me, after doing some reading and soul searching, and seeing the comments from others on these pages, I have hope that Shelly and I will somehow be together again.

In the great unfolding of life's mysteries, there must be some reward for these creatures who are so filled with loving kindness. It seems now as I look into the eyes of other dogs, I feel a connection to Shelly, and I believe this is because they all share the same pure essence. The special relationship between companion pet and human is one that if practiced between mankind, would certainly be the advent of world peace.

A few things I know for sure now after walking through the shadow of her death: her short eight years with me were a gift that enhanced my life in a way I never dreamed possible; I provided for her a life of happiness and contentment and she felt how much I loved her; I am only human and nothing I did or didn't do could have kept her from leaving when it was her time; and most importantly, the love we shared will live on between us for eternity.

This memorial comes with a prayer for peace in my heart and the hearts of my family, peace for my doggy-girl, and peace for all of those pets and their humans who have been separated.