The Dogwood tree started blooming this morning. It was in full bloom last year at this time. I remember it. Could it possibly be a whole year?
This day, a year ago was the day my King went over to the other side. Just one week shy of his 15th birthday. Somehow I knew that he was not going to be with me long, but I thought, "If he could only make 15".
I took him for a walk that morning, he was fine. He ate his breakfast and then found his favorite place to lay down, which was right by the door, so he could be right there when I walked in. I hugged him before I left for work that morning, like I always did, and I put my face right between his ears. Huskies have no natural scent, but there was always something comforting about the feel and smell of his fur.
I always had a ritual of saying, "I love you guys" before I left for work. And I did that on this morning a year ago, like I always did. Then I went to work, thinking about all the things I had to do. When I came home for lunch, King was gone. He had not moved from the spot where I left him. I hugged him again, and told him that time was different over where he was, and that I would be with him before he missed me. I took his body over to Kirby. Who was just six months old and told him that we would have to say goodbye to King, but that he would never really leave us, because now he would live in our hearts. Kirby shook him and tried to wake him up, then went over and kissed him on the snout. I will remember it forever as the most touching thing I had ever seen.
King was a great dog. He always greeted me with a howl. I always felt really bad that I was not there to ease the burden of his passage. But King knew. He was such a good dog that he died facing East, the way sled dogs are supposed to. Facing the dawn of a new day to be born on the other side, and facing the Dogwood tree that bloomed today.
I am sure, King's way of letting me know he is with the other Husky...and to tell Kirby he said "Hello".
Daniel Gonder