Oliver’s Peace, Our Quiet
“Until one has loved an animal, part of their soul remains unawakened.” -Author Unknown-
I came across this quote sometime after our dog Oliver had come into our lives. He helped my soul and me awaken in many ways and I will be forever grateful for his presence in our lives. Grateful for his long life and the countless bits of wisdom he would offer, as only dogs can.
He was born on May 7, 2008. He joined our family on July 3 of that year. We made the difficult decision to put him down on February 23, 2024. We miss him, painfully and with many tears, in these first days since his passing. He knows peace. He earned it and deserves it. It was hard to let go, and I perhaps hung on too long as he declined and weakened. But you arrive at the right time when you arrive at it and no sooner. He let us know in his own ways in those last hours of his life that we were doing the right thing. His last gift to us was his peace.
We are adjusting to the strange quiet in the house that reminds us he is no longer here. No shaking out as he wakes up and hearing his collar sounds. No clicking of paws and nails on the kitchen floor. No crunching and lapping at his bowls. There is no anxious whine either, and this had become more prevalent in recent months. That was hard to hear, and the silence is hard to hear. So we adjust to this new quiet and peace begins to make its way in around the edges of our sadness.
Oliver joined our family just after I had been diagnosed with breast cancer. I wasn’t sure it was a good time to add a pet to the mix, but my husband Darcy suggested the distraction might be good. He was so right. Our son Sam was six, and his interest in having a dog was also a motivator. Sam grew up with Oliver. So did I—a new cancer patient and then a post-chemo and post-surgery cancer patient. Oliver and I walked through plenty together.
And we just kept walking. Thousands of walks, plenty of runs too, over the years, in all kinds of weather. I was the one who took Oliver out each morning. I love that time of day and I loved our walks. I have taken one each morning since we said goodbye, to honor his memory and to step into the grief I am feeling.
Thank you Oliver for awakening my soul and helping me heal and transform my other parts—body, heart, and mind—as only a true companion can. You remain with us, quietly, in our full and thankful hearts.
From puppy . . .
To senior . . .
