Dog trains man

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Viva Sunday #11: One More Easter Egg

I couldn't even have imagined adopting a dog, just a week ago.

When I rewind to the week just before Easter, instead of looking forward to some time off during those public holidays, I was bracing myself.

After all Viva was our Easter Bunny. On top of that, Kenzo's vet suggested we should do as much beach walks with Kenzo as possible for his training and therapy, as the water walker at the animal hospital was closed. The West coast, with ample space and dogs usually hold on leash, would be perfect.

Which meant spending a week in "Viva country"... during Easter... It made me swallow twice.

We had a great week, Kenzo even joined in chasing sunsets, and although Viva was vividly with us during every minute of the day, missing her never made me feel sad. This time it felt like, she was with us, instead of just us, without her. I didn't notice any signs she might have given, other than that the image of her I carry with me in my mind started to change.

Viva seemed more benevolent. She was watching over us, and smiled at us, when we had fun on the beaches with Kenzo.

Coming home with a lightened spirit because of how the week had turned out, I sad down to write about it, and checked my usual blogs and websites for news.

And there was Tilde, up for adoption.

My first thought? This is meant to be. Easter. The West coast. Viva joining us again in spirit. And now Tilde.

I made an effort to fight my impulses, and tried to seek logical reasoning against adopting Tilde. During the last couple of months I (re-)read books like "Dog, Inc.", "Speaking for Spot" and "Pukka's Promise", especially to help me not to find a dog like Viva, not to find a dog that could replace her, but a dog with its own personality, and with a fair and healthy chance at life. And then I realized, Tilde is exactly all of that. I didn't act on an impulse. An impulse merely gave me the last push I needed.

The bottom-line being though, am I ready? In general, I probably am not. But for exactly Tilde, yes I am. Like I told some days ago, as one of the first to see a picture of her as a week old puppy, and following her journey from the puppy mill to her rescue and into her new home she now lost, she feels naturally close to me.

Being allowed the opportunity to see Tilde grow up, to help setting her up for success in this humanized world, is the best gift I could get.

Viva whispered to me to stop writing this "Viva Sunday" series. She would much rather hear about how Tilde and Kenzo are doing, and if they are listening to her lessons how to boss me around.

I told her that I couldn't possibly imagine, they would disappoint her with that.
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10 comments

  1. I'm so happy for you. New beginnings don't mean forgetting the past. You honor the ones you love by learning from them--including how to open your heart again.

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    1. Thank you Edie, also for your kind words along the way. Like you said, Viva would "tell" me when it would be time to stop writing the "Viva Sunday" series, and she did, even though I couldn't anticipate the timing and the way how.

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  2. Absolutely beautiful! We are never ready, but we always are ;)

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  3. I was so not ready to think about adopting a new dog ... and then Jasmine wanted me to do so. I knew she wanted me to do so. So ready or not, we started looking. And then we found Cookie. Sometime it really seems best to allow things to happen.

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  4. I am so happy for you. I went through something similar when we lost our Dalmatian in 2004. I had the option of getting a youngster from the same blood line, but I decided against it. I needed a dog that was VERY different. That's when we adopted Lilly.

    Now that Lilly is gone. The next step feels like leaping the Grand Canyon. I too have a long reading list to get through (among other things). Thanks for these insights into your decision.

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    1. Thank you Roxanne, the reading was helpful in channeling some of my thoughts. Although they never helped me to reach an "end conclusion" that would probably also be different for each individual person, and I am very impulsive. It was a good help to slam the breaks, and not seek a replacement Viva.

      Wishing you all the best, and wisdom, in your continued efforts how to cope with a life withouth Lilly.

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  5. Sometimes things are meant to happen, despite what we think ourselves. I'm so glad Tilde joined your family. :)

    Monty and Harlow

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    1. Thank you Sam! It goes against anything that I was expecting. But sometimes you have to let go, and let things happen.

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