Remembering Clinton

We said goodbye to Clinton on Thursday. It was not easy to do as all of you who have had to put down pets know. I think making the decision was the most difficult; and the hours before we went to the vet; the tears never stopped coming. Clinton was 17 years old - he has been part of our lives for such a long time; the longest I have ever had a dog. I bought him when we were living in Interlochen, MI, and the girls were in school there studying music. He added so much joy to our lives as he ran through the Michigan woods - getting lost in the snow drifts in winter and covered with mud in the spring. He has lived many places - the Berkshires, Nantucket, Scituate, California and now here in Falmouth. He was the first small dog we ever had - we had had larger breeds - but Clint thought he was big; I don't think he every thought of himself as small in any way.

He was definitely my dog. He would follow me around the house, even towards the end when he couldn't see or hear; he still knew where I was and he would find me and sleep nearby. I miss him now, I miss him in the early mornings when he would be with me as I tried to write a sermon; I miss his getting up when I got home and wagging his tail looking for a scratch; I miss his smell and the way his coat felt when I rubbed his back; I miss the memories that are attached to him - though those I will always have.

Why is losing a pet so hard? I hope he is happy now; in a place where the sun is shining on him and someone is holding him; rubbing his head and telling him he is a good dog. He was that - a good dog. I miss him.