THE LOST ART OF A GENTLE GOODBYE
It’s Natures Way
A rough story about the happiest of creatures
It was serendipity that brought Charlie to us and serendipity that took her away.
Charlie was not a pretty dog. Weighing in at less than five pounds, she was the runt of her litter; mother Chihuahua, father unknown. Born with a hair lip, she had a perpetual sneer, and those beady brown eyes, constantly on alert, did nothing to soften her appearance. With knee caps that luxated medially, she was forced to walk on tippy toes, her gait, that of a failed ballerina.
Despite her physical deficits, no man, woman, or child, could resist the charms of this tiny foundling. She would dance on matchstick legs in a bid for attention — to be ignored was not in her vocabulary. Children squealed in delight. Grown men would scoop her up and shamelessly, kiss her head.
When she entered the park, she owned it. A fearless, little demon, Charlie was completely unaware of her diminutive size - a mastiff in the body of a squirrel. She would challenge even the biggest contender to the game of her choice, tag being the favorite.
It was one of those rare days in January when the air was so warm you could almost smell spring. Charlie hated winter and, for weeks, had refused to set foot outside. This was a welcome respite.
At the entrance to the woods, she met a young spaniel whose energy matched her own. Instant friends, they bolted ahead, running wide circles through the skeletal trees. The snow had melted revealing a layer of leaves that crunched beneath their paws, and held hidden treasures waiting to be discovered.
In this joyful frenzy, the dogs failed to sense the lurking danger. With deliberate stealth, a large, male coyote, had been tracking their every move. This experienced predator now showed himself, his prey marked.
Charlie, in the heat of the game, did not notice when another creature joined the chase. No moment of fear. No instant of realization. The horror was reserved for the spectators.
Caught in those powerful jaws her neck was snapped with two quick shakes. In the blink of an eye, her life was over -an unexpected meal that the forest had provided.
In the end, not even her collar was found. This was nature at its cruelest and most efficient.
There would be no farewell kiss for Charlie. There would be no struggle to decide. She had taught an entire community to embrace life and that was her legacy
A reminder that having the choice of time and place to say goodbye is a gift, not a burden.
But the world is not always harsh
