Little Lady K.D.

K.D. is in a better place. She is now in doggie Heaven running around with Sheena and all of her other favorite friends. I`m looking at a picture of her and I now, and all I can do is smile.

I remember when Sheena died; I remember exactly where I was, exactly what I had been doing, exactly what I had felt. I had just finished a soccer game and she had died earlier that day. My dad waited until after the match to tell me because he didn`t want to interfere with how I played. I remember resenting him for that. I remember wishing I had known immediately so I could have in some way escorted her to Heaven. I remember thinking that Sheena would be cross with me for not having said goodbye as soon as absolutely possible. And I cried; I cried for weeks.

And now K.D. has taken the same path. She`s crossed on from her energetic, epileptic, owner-attached life onto a new place - a new world that we know nothing about. K.D. was my companion, my "girl" for lack of a better phrase. I confided in her when I had no where else to go, I cried into her furry shoulder when Rachel passed away, I leapt into her arms every time I came home from university. We shared the same pillow throughout all my years of middle and high school. Many of those nights I spent coverless crumpled up into a ball because I wouldn`t dare wake her for hogging my twin sized bed. I stayed by her side through her epileptic fits. I was there when she gave birth to her seven squirming babies. She was there for my never-ending soccer tournaments, my high school proms, my first loves, and all my losses. She never hesitated to help me clear my plate when I had eaten enough. She waited fervently at the edge of the pool for me to throw her Kong into the water. And she graciously accepted the role of mother to every and any child that instantly grew attached to and fell in love with her.

It seems silly now that I used to scream and cry every time K.D. was let off her leash. I was so scared that she would run away forever and I would never see her again. I physically attached myself to her because the thought of losing her was so real and so frightful that I wouldn`t even allow for the possibility. There were days in middle school when K.D. would escape from the backyard and come wandering onto campus. I would get called into the office and be asked to escort my dog home. I remember always feeling so lucky. I was so enthused to have such a loyal companion that she would come looking for me at school. And every time I brought her home, I would reprimand my father for letting her escape. I told him that HE was lucky that she didn`t run off to some other family and he should not have taken her presence for granted.

But now she is gone forever. At least from this world. And yet, I still can`t bring myself to cry about it. And I don`t want to cry. She gave meaning to my life when nothing else could. I look back and all I have are memories of unconditional love and affection. She nurtured me to health when I was sick, was joyous of my accomplishments, and shared in my sorrows. I only hope I was able to give to her as much as she gave to me. Dog might be man`s best friend, but K.D. was my soul. And I know that she is up there, somewhere, waiting to greet me, some day.

I love you K.D. <3