Most of my students know my husband and I recently said goodbye to our best friend and companion dog, Sara. I adopted her before we were married, and she was already an adult at the time, so I knew I wouldn't have a full lifetime with her. Even so, we both hoped she'd be with us for a few more years.
Sara was by my side almost every day since I adopted her, and even more once I began working from home. She slept at my feet as I worked to finish new pieces or taught piano lessons, and had a knack for endearing herself to everyone she met. She also had an uncontrollable addiction to water, a loving determination to eat grass, did her best to master fetch, enthusiastically waded in local creeks, and above all else, was mad about having her face scratched. Really, as far as she was concerned, a good face petting solved all the world's ills. And for all her sweet and funny ways, she made us incredibly happy. She was our family in the truest sense of the word and we both miss her terribly, although we know it was the only possible choice.
Sara struggled a great deal in the last two months of her life, and we eventually learned she was suffering from a very aggressive, fast-moving form of bone cancer. I'm still shocked by how quickly it developed. We'll be donating regularly to the Dog and Cat Cancer Fund in an effort to help other owners and their animals, and the next time we adopt we'll be sure to screen early and often. Between the toxins in the environment, toxins in our food, and breeding that causes genetic weaknesses, cancer has become a true epidemic amongst companion animals. It deserves all the time and attention we can afford.
It's been a sad week, but I've put together a video tribute for Sara that I'm going to share with you now. It features many of the photos and videos I took during her time with us. I'm sorry we didn't have a better camera to record memories during the first years, but I'm still so glad I took photos as often as I did. I've lost two other companions in my life, and I only wish I had more records of their lives. Memories fade too easily, and these photos have already been a tremendous comfort to me.
