[nagdu] A Day Early

[Meghan Whalen]

I'm going to be gone all day tomorrow, so I wanted to take a moment to write about a very beautiful little girl.  When Kirby and I walk in the door every afternoon, we are greeted by a very joyous little female shepherd.  At six, Jade still wants the harness, but due to a couple of eye conditions, she is going blind and has been retired since she was three and a half.

Even though she cannot physically guide me, she does not need her harness to show me the way.  She helped me to learn to let go because of love.  She taught me not to be selfish, and she was the first dog to show me how to glide down the sidewalk.  Though my footsteps are now partnered with Kirby's pawprints, I know Jade is always walking with me, too.
The panis has stabalized enough that she no longer needs drops, and she can still play fetch.  We bump into each other now and then, but she is no worse for the wear.  She loves her walks, and I know her dreams still involve a harness and a gentle scratch behind the ears.  I do my best to give her the closest to what we had, but unfortunately, she can't go most places now.  All I can do is be sure to let her know how much I love her when I am home.
Saturday, June 27, 2009 will mark four years since I met this lovely little lady.  This date marks four years since the multi-week cycle of sleepless nights.  This dog surely did not want to be mine at first.  She wanted her trainer, and she had no time for me.  She cried all night and screamed when I took showers without her in the bathroom with me.  She did not eat for four days, and she just about took off my arm when she knew there was a chance she would see her trainer.  
    At 17, I was the youngest in class, and I had the most emotional dog.  I was going to have a dog switch, but I insisted that if she could love so much it would all be worth it when she loved me that much.  Well, we made it, and we had 19 wonderful months together.  I couldn't ask for a better dog.  Even though our time was short, we had such a complete bond.  Once we were home, she didn't have her trainer to turn to anymore, and within minutes, she was mine.  On our flight home, she got nervous once, I made her lie right back down, and from then on, I had her sold on the fact that I was there for her as long as she was there for me.  Losing our partnership was a devistating blow, but I will always look back on our short time as a team, and I know for certain that she was exactly the dog I needed.  I know Kirby is exactly the dog I need right now, and the fack that I can sit on the floor with one of them on each side of me is a true representation of my good fortune.  To both of my girls, you are my angels, and together, you have taught me that nothing is impossible.  Dreams are tangible, and every end is actually a beautiful new beginning.

Meghan with Jade (June 27, 2005, and Kirby (May 28, 2007)