Requiem for a heavyweight

Gentle Reader,

I interrupt my explanation of "the Jesus that the Apostle Paul preached", (see Dr Denis says... http://drcallahan.bravejournal.com) to bring you some sad news. While most of you know that my wife Marti has been bedfast for half a dozen years and her best friend and closest companion was her little Chihuahua ChiFawn PI.

Fawn as she was known to her friends, mostly birds and our Lhasa Apso, Patrick Tis Himself (Paddy) was an unusual dog.

She never left Marti’s side or her bed except to eat and drink and to play occasionally with one or two of our birds from time to time.

Certified as a service animal under the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act which is governed but the U.S. Department of Justice. Fawn never demanded her "rights" under the law.



Dogs have souls, don’t they?

I remember bringing you home. You were so small and cuddly with your tiny paws and soft fur. You bounced around the room with eyes flashing and ears at attention. Once in a while you’d let out a little yelp just to let us know this was your "territory"!

There is a belief that Chihuahua’s have the ability to absorb the illness of their owners (whether that is true I cannot say, however when I was sick in bed with the loss of a lung Fawn crawled up on my chest and lay there until I was able to get up and get around).

But it was Marti who received most of Fawn’s attention. Fawn never left Marti’s side

When Marti was confined to bed Fawn was there, providing companionship, love, support and therapy when medical doctors gave up.

Last night or rather at 6:53 this morning after a sleepless night of sitting up with this little angel she finely look up at Marti and then me and then into the air as if to say ("Well boys, I’m ready to come home now! Some one else will have to take over my watch" Those who don’t believe in God or love need to see man’s best friend who ask for nothing than to be of service.

The Gift of Love

4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends.... 12For now we see in a mirror, dimly,b but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

So Gentle reader, let me leave you with these final thoughts



Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Fawn gave us, especially Marti, that unconditional love that we attribute to God. Perhaps that’s why dog spelled backwards is God.

Denis

Chi Fawn PI (R.I.P. 2/20/2007)