And the Sun will Rise...

I thought the hard part was over... I was wrong.  This void, the fact that Riley is not here, the emptiness is painful.  The past few days, I've been reading and searching for dog quotes and poems and anything to hold on to that brings me comfort, validation... even sanity.  I wanted to share a few with you.  Some of these I found and some were sent to me from friends and loved ones who have experienced the loss of their soul mate dogs. 

My favorite:

“It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them. And every new dog who comes into my life, gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are.”

~Unknown

The Edith Wharton quote below is the inspiration behind this photo.  Taken on our last night together.  I was happy and honored to be the heartbeat at her feet.  My little crooked tail angel.  Never to be forgotten.

"My little dog - a heartbeat at my feet."  -- Edith Wharton

My good friend Jamie sent me this one.  This beautiful message helped her when she lost her soul mate dog only a year ago:

"He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds; my other ears that hear above the winds. He is the part of me that can reach out into the sea. He has told me a thousand times over that I am his reason for being; by the way he rests against my leg; by the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile; by the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him. (I think it makes him sick with worry when he is not along to care for me.) When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive. When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile. When I am happy, he is joy unbounded. When I am a fool, he ignores it. When I succeed, he brags. Without him, I am only another man. With him, I am all-powerful. He is loyalty itself. He has taught me the meaning of devotion. With him, I know a secret comfort and a private peace. He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant. His head on my knee can heal my human hurts. His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things. He has promised to wait for me... whenever... wherever - in case I need him. And I expect I will - as I always have. He is just my dog." - Gene Hill

Another Ridgeback lover, friend and dog trainer sent me this awesome essay.  I can't tell you how I sobbed when I read this:

From Henry Van Dyke, An essay called "A Parable of Immortality."
I am standing upon the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean.
She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until at length
she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says:
“There, she is gone!”
“Gone where?”
Gone from my sight. That is all.
She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side, and she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And just at the moment when someone at my side says, “There, she is gone!” there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout:
“Here she comes!”
And that is dying.

And to keep my mind, body and soul moving forward, I have relied on favorite lines from favorite movies. 

From Finding Nemo:

Dory:  Just keep swimming, just keep swimming....

From Castaway:

And now, here I am. I'm back. In Memphis, talking to you. I have ice in my glass... And I've lost her all over again. I'm so sad that I don't have Kelly. But I'm so grateful that she was with me on that island. And I know what I have to do now. I gotta keep breathing. Because tomorrow the sun will rise. Who knows what the tide could bring?