Daisy, Daisy

"Daisy, Daisy.... I'm half crazy all for the love of you"....the song I used to sing to Daisy. Our sweet Golden Retriever Daisy is gone. We had to say goodbye. Her days were happy and she was loyal until the end. She'd been romping and playing, panting and jumping, swimming and walking by our side until only days before our goodbye. 

She was beautiful with a fine golden coat that waved as she ran, as if in a slow motion shampoo commercial. Happy and eager to please. Well mannered. Always by my side. From the beginning my husband Griff said she made herself mine. She must have known that she was the dog I had wished for, for as long as I could remember...and our first family dog.

She looked out for our family...all of us. She walked with me for miles and made many friends through the years. She helped us meet our neighbors. She worked at lemonade stands, built snowmen, raked leaves, greeted the neighborhood kids at the bus, traveled with us by boat or canoe, trick or treated and swam alongside us at the beach...many beaches. She was there. Always with us. Always by our side.

We liked to say she was intelligent. After all she was well bred and behaved just like any other well behaved lady might be. She was well educated...she attended some of Madison's fine schools....Montessori...Island Avenue...Jeffrey School...Brown....Polson and Daniel Hand. She attended...she was there to meet and greet her family.

Her higher education at Fairfield University was impressive...Daisy occasionally attended to visit my niece during her four years at college...she attended crew regattas....and filled the void for college kids missing their family dogs. 

Her degrees weren't on paper but she majored in love and healing too.She made us laugh. Daisy was my co-pilot and made many a road trip with the family. She traveled long distances to visit family or vacation on the cape. We had good times...Daisy helped with the hard stuff too...she accompanied me to the nursing home where my mom spent her last days her days...Daisy was a welcome visitor for my mom...always. She helped us heal.

On Daisy's last days, our family had time to discuss what was best for her. We unanimously decided it was best for her to go peacefully. Our vet understood.We were blessed to have her in our lives. She had a wonderful life.We were all sure it was the right thing to do for our dog.

I was with her when it was time. It was heartwrenching and my only comfort was knowing she had lived a fabulous life...she gave and gave and gave. It was our turn to give her comfort and freedom from a life of restrictions, unfair for a dog with her spirit.

I couldn’t hold back tears….I let my tears be wiped by Daisy’s shiny soft fur. I hugged and held her. I thanked her. I talked to her and sang to her. I rubbed her ears. I was petting our Daisy until the end. She was happy and eager to please until the end. Daisy was tired from all of the loving. She lowered herself down next to me. The vet had given us a blanket so we could lie down together as we had many times before. She began to fall asleep. The vet came and asked if I needed more time. No. I wanted Daisy to go…now. She was sleeping peacefully…..and she stayed asleep. 

I was heartbroken but peaceful, knowing she had lived a wonderful life. She had done her job well...a friend 'til the end.