About 8 weeks ago there was a major change in my life. After months and months of moving forward at breakneck speed, I hit the wall.
I had obstacles at work and my relationships, I was pressing forward really hard on developing a new project, and then it all came tumbling down...my 14 year old Border Collie Kate collapsed in the kitchen right in front of me.
In that moment I stopped everything I was doing. I knew she was old and was ready to go, but the idea of her not being in my life just didn't seem like a reality, so I had been avoiding it for some time. I rushed her to the vet, and they told me there was nothing else that they could do for her, and we decided to put her down.
Dogs take on the pain and suffering of their owners to protect them. I knew she was telling me something very important and that it could be me collapsing on the floor next if I didn't make a change.
I went through a difficult grieving process, and it felt like there was something inside me that shut down. I had no desire to rush, to hurry, or to plan ahead. I just wanted to be in the moment. And still today, I can say I feel the same. I enjoy the peaceful pace, I feel better, stronger and much happier. It changed me for the better.
Deaths are endings that bring new beginnings. I recently got a little puppy. And although she could never replace Kate, there are new adventures on the horizon, and I will take care to go forward in a new way.