Last week, we laid Rosie to rest. One of life’s most significant challenges is to say goodbye to a being that you love. Besides the immense emptiness, what’s also painful is knowing whether or not you made the right decision for an innocent being who can’t tell you what they need.
I cannot write about all that happened leading to the utterly finite decision. It’s too much to bear emotionally, but I can express the hope and love I feel in my heart for the little Boston Terrier who strolled into my life when I met Jay.
When Rosie and Butters were introduced during Thanksgiving Weekend of 2013, they attempted to dominate each other. I wasn’t discouraged, though. I knew that the power play would end once they ran along the beaches of Santa Barbara. But, at the time, I didn’t realize how inextricably linked the two of them would be for the next 8+ years of their lives.
Since that day, the four of us have traveled across multiple state lines together. Rosie and Butters made their marks on one hundred different cities and towns. The two were inseparable, always side-by-side as they walked, slept, and played. Rosie was a loving companion for Butters and, in recent years, a mentor to Lonnie.
A big hole is in our lives, one that will never be filled – but one we will learn to embrace. While we will never see Rosie in this life, she might visit us in our dreams.
In Korean, there’s a saying: 잘 갔다와 (jal ghatawa), which roughly translates to “take care until you return.”
So instead of goodbye, I say to Rosie, take care until you return to us.
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