Friday, November 14, 2008

Good Read


For those who know me well, it is no shock to know that I am a bit of a dork...ok, I am a big dork.

In August, I picked up the best book: 10 Lessons My Dog Taught Me. It is a must read for all of my dog-loving blog readers! I have one copy to share, but encourage the small price to add it to your collection.

It just so happened that I was reading this book in the midst of getting all the bad news about Daisy. The book, a true story, warmed my heart and helped me appreciate what Daisy truly meant to me. And even more so, helped me learn some lessons that I hadn't fully gotten out of the gift of our relationship.

So, here's the part of my dorkiness... As this process went on and on, I reflected on the book, and grew to appreciate it even more. I don't know how popular the book was, but I felt the need to find the author and express to him what his book meant to me. I couldn't find a site about the book, but found an unrelated blog of his. I believe it was about wines...wines/dogs all the same :)

I commented on his blog and shared how much I loved the book. And today I saw, HE COMMENTED ON MY BLOG!! How cool is it that he actually read my comment, and still feels as strongly about his pup and an appreciation for Daisy to write back.

Again, I encourage y'all to at least take a look at the book...it is a quick and great read!

Update on Daisy: It's been a while, so the update is fun :) I realized a bit ago that it all needed to change. I watched my good friend go thru the pain of the last days with her dog. Once they realized that there was nothing they could do to save him, they took him to the water to swim and enjoyed every last minute. I didn't want to wait until the end to treat Daisy like royalty. As the weeks were passing, her desire to be at PT was totally decreased and the improvements weren't really changing. I wanted her to just be. I wanted to give her a chance to run on the trails, and just enjoy the days she has. I figured the amount of time I was spending driving to and from PT could be spent hiking with her. And so that was it. Day #1 of this decision we went on a 2 mile hike. No, it's not perfect. Her run on the trails is no longer my workout, but a bonus to my days. She is so very happy, and that's all I need.

So where are things... In my first year of running, it was just me and Daisy. At that time, I could barely run and Daisy would wait for me. My runs were never quite long enough for her, and she always wanted more but she loved me and was totally content with what I had to give. Now things are reversed. My pace, slow jog or walk, is dictated by what Daisy can do. When I take her, it is for her, and we go as long as she can go. And I love her and am totally content that I am letting her spend her days, whether many more or just a few, in the way she would want to...on the trails, in the woods, and with me :)

Have a great weekend, and thanks for the inspiration!
mer

4 comments:

LK said...

It was great to see Daisy out there a few weeks ago! The trails are where she belongs, running or not.

Jamie Donaldson said...

I can't wait to read the book. You are so right about letting her be a dog. When we found things out, we pretty much had a week to let Kozmo do what he wanted. It was a great week, but why shouldn't everyday be like that! :)! Morrison is sending Daisy all his love!

Priscilla said...

Thanks for the recommendations, I'm going out to buy the book! Here's to all the sniffs and smiles on the trails!!!

John Austin Reynolds said...

Mer-

Thanks for sharing. I feel the same way about my dog, Katie. She's the best running buddy a guy could have. I love her and I know you love Daisy. You made the right choice. She just wants to be with you running on the trails. I am sure she is really happy to spend time with Mom!