The grey whiskers appeared almost overnight. In the blink of an eye, my dog had matured beyond the youthful puppy I have known for 9 years. Sure she still has the spunk of a young pup on occasion but I can slowly see time creeping up on her faster than I would like it to.
My solace lies in the fact that our affection for each other is timeless. Her devotion to me, whether her joints are currently aching and she has no desire to jump on my bed, is endless. She is, and will continue for years to be, my true companion. She is happy to see me when I have returned home after four hours or four minutes. She never judges my idiosyncrasies and she still manages to hear my soft sobs when I am trying to quietly cry and she comes to clean away the salty tears.
I thought my life was full before she came along. I was dead wrong. We have always had dogs. Growing up, my life was filled with hairballs and doggy kisses. But Callaway is a unique soul. There is not a doubt in my mind that she was meant to be my dog. The picture we fell in love with on the adoption website (the one above) was a picture of her brother but it was Callaway who came into my life and into my heart. I fought for her during my divorce because I couldn’t imagine my house without her in it.
I know I must face the inevitable – time will not go backwards and those grey hairs on her muzzle will slowly multiply, but so will the grey hairs on my head. We will face this truth together knowing that however long we were destined to be in each other’s lives, we will make the most of each moment.
polysyllabic profundities 
It is part of the inevitable circle of life.
Sad, but so true.
Yeah. Be well.
❤
Thanks Jill.
My daughter’s beagle-greyhound mix is suffering from what she calls “Old Man Syndrome”—arthritis, cataracts, and other maladies of the elderly—and she is realistic enough to know their days together are numbered. She got him in her first year of college, and he’s been her constant companion and protector through multiple relationships, moves, and jobs. He is in her heart the way Calloway is in yours, and she too appreciates every moment they have together … which, sadly, will never be enough. I hope you and Calloway have many more years to enjoy together!
Thanks so much. She really is such a big part of my life and, thankfully, the anti-inflammatory seems to have done her a world of good!! I hope that your daughter gets to keep that “old man” in her life for a few more years. ❤
Pets are such wonderful friends xxxx
They certainly are, Dianne. xx. Hope you are doing well.