Full of Life

It feels fitting to start a blog on the topic of death.

Birth and death.

On November 5th, I found out my best boy has cancer. My sweet pupper, a boxer-mix named Roscoe. He was diagnosed with Osteochondrosarcoma Grade 2.

The day I found out, I repeated the name of the cancer so often that it was ingrained in my brain; how to spell it, how to pronounce it. Like knowing what might take my dogs life, a few years too soon, would give me more power than it. I spent that first day being incredibly sad, I cried for hours. I couldn’t think about anything else.

The second day, I cried some more while he spent the day with his grandma playing at the garden. I cried and cried in the bathroom stall of my workplace but then I remembered I would always fight for my boy. I called a vet that came to me with a glowing recommendation. She focuses on Holistic and Chinese medicine for pups with cancer. The power I was yearning for the day prior was there in full force.

The third day, I embraced my dog for all that he is. I took him on a hike with some friends. My patience was tested as he pulled on his leash but as I reflect on it; there’s nothing else that I want more than my boxer to be his excitable boxer self. We fed him some human food and he was loved up by our family.

The fourth day, well that’s today. I sat and I wrote this knowing today and the days following that I would embrace the now; my dog is healthy, happy and himself right now. I sat and wrote this reflecting on how sacred life is. In awe with the resilience of my dog and his beautiful playful nature, he has no idea what is happening and that is so beautiful.

So I will continue to provide the best life for him; no matter what it takes for as many days as I have with him.

We are constantly being shown how short life is. But it is alarming how little we do about it. We are told we need to make the best of it and enjoy it.

In truth – we are all dying. We just aren’t sure when.

Our days are numbered but only until we know someone is dying or someone has gone do we start to question our love and time with them.

I don’t say that to depress you. I say it to raise questions within ourselves.

Are you enjoying your life to the fullest? Are you truly happy? Are you happy with how much time you are spending with your loved ones? Are you providing your children and fur babies their fullest life? Did you hug your people today? Did you show or tell your people how much you love them? How would you change today if you could?

Did you love yourself today? Were you patient and kind to yourself? How did you grow today? What is it that you need from you to feel full and to provide love to others? Life is short and it keeps getting shorter.

And in true Roscoe fashion – be playful and excited about life. Live in the moment and show as much affection as possible.