We hope you enjoy this heartwarming story written by Guest Author Emily Ruth Penning
Sage is a Bernese Mountain Dog.
Bernese Mountain Dogs have an average lifespan of 6-8 years.
People ask me, all of the time, why I would choose to own a dog breed that rarely hits the 10-year mark.
“I’d love to own one of those, but they live such short lives.” And they’re right. They do. I have friends who own small breed dogs that live an average of 15 years. Almost double the lifespan.
When Sage first came into my life, I remember thinking that 8 years seemed like a long time. Now, she’ll turn 5 in just a few short months and I find myself lying in bed at night and wondering if I’ll be one of the lucky ones who get to keep her for 8 or 9 instead of 6.
I used to hate the fact that this precious and perfect little angel would only be with me for what would be a max of 8% of my life.
But, the beauty that has come from Sage being in my life is the constant reminder that life is short.
I get a lot of crap for taking so many road-trips, but man if we haven’t seen some beautiful places together. I’ve stayed a little too thick eating ice cream too often, but hell if Sage hasn’t had her best days at the receiving end of a spoon full of Coldstone.
I have donated more money to my vet’s student loan repayment fund than my mother would be comfortable with, but hell if I haven’t tried to make sure she was healthy. I’ve woken up tired on multiple occasions because my girl not only snores, but also likes to put her paws in my face, but I never have to sleep alone.
We stop and smell the flowers. We take the time to enjoy life. If Sage dies tomorrow, I will know she lived a good life. If I die tomorrow, I hope you all know that I have had a great life, too. Because I’ve done what I can to make the best of it.
I’m not a mother to human children. I don’t know how it feels to grow one or adopt one. I don’t know the feeling that mothers have when they rock their babies to bed at night.
But I do know what it’s like to be a dog mom. I know what it’s like to be loved regardless of your imperfections and insecurities. I know what it’s like to be valued for your presence rather than your talents. I know what it’s like to be ugly, heartbroken, poor, angry, incompetent, and still have someone sitting next to you in spite of it all.
That’s the kind of acceptance that people spend their whole life searching for. Not all dog owners are the same. For some people, dogs exist to do a job or as a lawn ornament. For some of us, they’re our best friends. Truly.
So I guess this post is a shout out to the dogs that remind us that life is short and that we are loved.
