Be Well my Beloved Olivia

 

    In 2016 my husband and I retired from jobs that were killing us through the stress, bought a 21 foot trailer and hopped into his truck with our beloved yellow lab, Olivia. We spent three beautiful months traveling from Maine across country to California and back through the south.  

    Here I'm taking a photo of my husband as he watches the sunset over the Mississippi River, waiting for a giant barge to lumber by.  The rhythmic sounds of mammoth tugboats churning as they pushed 200-feet long barges up and down river lulled us to sleep each night.  The three of us, snugged up tight in our trailer we called Mini. This photo is my husband's cover photo on Facebook page which he rarely logs onto.  

    Our lab was put to sleep on December 8, 2022.  We were lucky to have that sweet and somewhat crazy soul in our life for 15 1/2 years.  My heart is broken as I hold her tight and near in my heart.  She died on what would have been my mother's 92nd birthday.  My mother who was equally neurotic and certifiably crazy.  There has to be some meaning there.  My mom's death was a tough one. She died on September 21, 2007.   I was both relieved and so sad.  Complicated emotions reflecting a difficult relationship.  We got Livy, an intelligent, energetic little puppy who always had a mind of her own, to help me recover from the grief in the fall of 2007.  

    That night, just three days ago, after setting our sick and sweet lab free, the lab who was always on my heels, who hid our shoes when we were away and brought us so much love and loyalty and laughter, Ken was on Facebook and glanced up to his cover photo.  

    He said to me, "I never noticed Olivia in this picture before."  

    I cried.  

    He went on, "Maybe she wasn't there before but now I see her."  

    I cried again.  

    I have never thought of my husband as being particularly emotional or spiritual but maybe he is.  I would love to believe Olivia wasn't there then and is now.  Reminding us she is OK.  Free and easy on a whole different plane of existence.  And maybe dancing around with my mom who is now well and living her best life.  

    Be well my beloved pup.  Farewell for now.