The couple had been in often lately with their old dog. She had surmounted many health challenges with grace, and was now - even on supplements and arthritis medication and back at a healthy weight - unable to climb stairs any more.
Dad said, "you know, she gives me the same look at the bottom of the stairs that she gave me when she was a puppy." I think the look means, "You don't really expect me to do that by myself do you?"
I said, "when she was a puppy, each stair was probably bigger than her!" She was now, after diligent care from her Mom and Dad, back down from a slightly high weight to a lean fifty pounds.
"Yeah," Mom said. "She was so small. As soon as she was a little taller, she figured those stairs out, and would tear up and down them all the time."
Dad smiled and said, "I carried her then, I'll carry her now."
They left ready to face this next stage as well as they have every one before this. I get a little teary eyed thinking about this dog and her family, but it makes me smile picturing her as a tiny puppy, ready, as ready as she is now, to take on the next challenge.
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Post from one year ago today...
May 15, 2016