November 4 is an important day in the history of our family. The fact that two important things in our life on the same date, a year apart, made me ponder some things. It really gave me the sense that things in life really do come full circle.
A year ago today, we had to
say good-bye to Hawk. His body just couldn't keep going. We had been in for some tests with him about a week before, and I recall that throughout Halloween night, he slept through the hustle and bustle of trick or treaters coming to the door. I really thought that he'd bounce back, but we had to let him go even before we found out the results of the tests that were done. In my heart, I know that even if we'd gotten those results, it still would have been time for him to go. It was the end of an era for us. Hawk and Treat were our first Greyhounds and they signified the beginning of our life together and our lives as adults with dogs. Hawk stayed around long enough to make sure that Bunny was trained in the mysterious way that he and Treat carried themselves, I believe, and having completed those lessons, he moved on to be with Treat.
Two years ago today, a German Shepherd puppy was born. She's turning out to be a funny, curious and sensitive companion who keeps us on our toes. Sharing life with a Shepherd isn't like sharing life with a Greyhound, but it has its own rewards. After Hawk passed away, our plan was to stay at three dogs, and then after Lilac passed, we'd go down to two, which was what we'd really planned to be at anyway. Life takes turns we don't expect, though, and here Morgan is with us in a four dog household again.
I have a feeling Hawk is happy with his successor. Morgan has some of the same traits that Hawk had. She likes to have everyone stay together, just like he did. He didn't do head counts like Morgan does, but I'm sure that if he'd seen it in action, he'd heartily approve. Hawk was always protective of Treat and me. Morgan considers herself Bunny's personal body guard at the dog park, and she always has to know where I am, too. Hawk was really goofy, and I loved watching him play. Morgan could be a one dog entertainment show most of the day.
I regret that we didn't take up hiking with the dogs when we still had Hawk. He
hated walking in town, but if we went to a different place, he was happy to go along. I suspect that he and Treat both would have liked hiking, but we had the idea that Greyhounds didn't do such things, and we hadn't learned to appreciate it that much ourselves. Having Morgan has been good for us in that respect. She needs the activity, both physically, but also the mental stimulation that comes with our hikes. I think it's also good for her to see that the world is a mostly not too scary place.
Hawk wasn't perfect when we brought him home, and Morgan isn't either, but I grew by leaps and bounds as a person through my experiences of meeting and rising to the challenges that living with Hawk brought me, and I think I've already grown some with Morgan. It's sometimes hard to see those opportunities for growth when you're going through the growing pains, but it's rewarding to look back and see where you ended up. So, please join with us today as we celebrate Morgan's second birthday. Our journey together is just starting, but who knows where we'll all end up!
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