Going Home

This book came out a month or so ago, I had been following Jon Katz Blog daily looking into when this book would be release. Because the death of a pet is very common among us, the pain of lost and suffering in our grief is natural. Reading this book was so personal to me since Newton has recently died after 11 years in our family. I loved how cuddly Newton was with his little soft paws or his long excited howl as he would push his nose way up into the air showing his white mini-schnauzer breed and gray floppy ears. Newton would rest up on the top of chairs or the couch looking out the window with his feet crossed resting peaceful. His death was dramatically sudden, I was thinking we had at least 5 more years since this breed of dog usually is a 15 year life span. I will never forget that evening in the dark green grass by the white smooth box which Newton laid to rest, I sat there sobbing deeply and touching the box then holding the other dogs as they moved around us. I knew this was such a shock but I needed to feel this great deep sorrow. Newton was the dog that changed my life, his tiny puppy self needed help going down the stairs as I rolled down on my hands and knees encouraging him to move down each step that looked like a big cliff to him. How he napped up on my chest as we watched movies or how easily Newton stayed so close when we went outside. I miss him so much, I learned so much from having him in my life! This book was full of touching dog stories and how we can honor them even after their death. I love how Jon writes very personally about his dreams or his messages to each of his pets. How he sees that even after they are gone, we carry them in our hearts and relive the memories of them! Once we have grieved properly, we can heal again in loving and giving another pet our friendship, our time! I honestly LOVE this message because it's so important to remember not to give up on a new dog or a new pet in our lives. Each and every life is different but we as humans are called to a higher meaning in living longer then our dogs, we are called to care for nature all around us. It is a wonderful hope in deep sorrow to believe this caring work is never done and there is always going to be an animal needing love. I think of all the tears I have cried in the lost of a beloved dog, and I wouldn't change a thing to protect myself from that sadness for I know now that the greatest part of life is...
Living it! Having those dogs along the way makes everything else okay again....I recommend this book for EVERYONE even if they don't have a pet it is still good to understand what this kind of lost and sadness is all about. NOTHING ends with death, life is still breathing all around at the very same moment one soul surrenders.

"Newton, Newton" I would call out the basement door into the dark night of the big backyard. My boyfriend (future husband) and his father were in Thailand for Christmas. As Newton and I slept every night in the big cozy house. the dog loved being under the blankets of the bed like in a tunnel of heat. I loved waking up with him next to me as it was strange to be house sitting for a month. Newton heard his name as the winter's evening was getting colder, he was happy to hurry in peeing and getting back inside. It was amazing to me that without a fence he never wander out of my sight. "Newton, Good boy! Ol' Mr. Good dog! Well goodness!" I said to him as we covered up on the couch watching more TV.  He must of known he had the good good life as he happily napped away in the warmth of my lap.