The Facts of Life

"You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have the facts of life....the facts of life!"

It's not just a catchy 80's theme song.....it's the truth!  This past summer our family grew through a one of life's unavoidable experiences.  It's been said, that one doesn't grow through one's successes, but through the difficult and trying times. Sadness and hardships are part of life.  

About mid-summer, one of those defining moments hit us. We realized the time had come to say goodbye to our beloved Wally. What a GREAT dog! We had been blessed for 13 wonderful, fur shedding years. We spent his final days together, loving on him, sharing memories, crying and laughing.  Each of us grieving in our own way.  

No doubt about it.....losing a pet is hard.  I've never thought of myself as a dog person.  I mean, I love and care for our pets.....but they are animals, and in the grand scheme of things......in our household anyway....they are the bottom of the totem pole. However, in certain situations and in sweet moments, I find myself remembering him.  

Every.single.morning. for the past umpteen years I have cut the crust off the kids' sandwiches while packing their school lunches.  And somewhere along the way, Wally and I started a habit....a secret, bad habit.  The Powells are firm believers in not feeding animals "people" food. I mean really.....who likes a beggar??? 

But, he was there. And, it seemed so wasteful to throw away the pile of bread, slivers ham, peanut butter or what-have-you.  He knew he had a good thing. Somehow, able to distinguish that one meal from any other, he would make his way into the kitchen and find his spot next to my feet.  More than once we were busted by the food police. I was usually able talk my way out of the interrogation with some lame excuse. While Wally, eversocarefully tried not to give himself away. Casually waiting, he sprawled the kitchen floor, causing a hazardous speed bump in the high traffic kitchen, during the morning rush hour.  It worked.  It was our thing.  It was our special bond.  

Most mornings, I'm reminded of his absence.  I'm thankful for the quiet memories that slowly replace the summer's harsh sting of reality.

It's a fact of life.  If we want the good,  we must except the bad.......we can't have one without the other.  But somewhere, in the midst of it all, we find the joy of life.

WE MISS YOU WALLY WINDCHILL POWELL.....you were a good one!