Nature, change and saying goodbye to a canine called Cloe

Autumn’s leaves are everywhere. As they change and fall - they indicate the movement of time and seasons. In life things are constantly changing as well. We have no choice but to go with the flow.

I thought about this as I walked through the park and enjoyed its beauty.

I walked briskly as I did not want to be late visiting my friend Cath. I did not linger to take too many photos. Nevertheless, I made a few.

Upon arrival, I was surprised to see the dog groomer holding Cath's dog, Cloe.

Cath looked teary eyed and I knew immediately that the inevitable day had arrived. Saying goodbye to Cloe, the beloved Shih tzu dog.

Cloe was old and unwell
Cloe was already 15 1/2 years old - that is about 86 dog years. She had a heart condition for almost 6 years already and has been going blind for more than a year. Her senses were declining. Only her sense of smell seemed intact.

Cloe was in pain and had not eaten for more than a month. She was not sleeping either and hardly made a sound. That is no life for a canine - that is not a dog's life. It was time to put her to sleep. It was a heartbreaking decision for Cath and her family but it felt like the right thing to do.

Cloe rarely moved from her bed as she was weak and had little strength to walk. You can imagine our surprise and delight when she took a short stroll around. She was slow but tried her best.

She looked at us with those big, glazed over eyes. I picked her up and cuddled her. For me it was the last time I would see her.

As I left, I walked through the park again. The weather had changed - it was now raining heavily. The day seemed to be all about changes.

The dark clouds and the rain reminded me of the sadness my friend was feeling at that moment. I thought about the impact the decision would have on the family. I knew they would miss the dog dearly but I also knew that they would enjoy the nice memories later on. There would be a lot of emotions when the veterinarian arrived. Maybe not as intense as for a human being - but it is emotional nonetheless. Dogs are man's best friend for a reason. There will be sorrow and guilt about the decision. For 15 1/2 years - any pet is a part of a family. There will be an emptiness in the house thereafter.

Change is needed in nature. These once green leaves on the trees are now dying. They fall to the ground and will disappear into the soil. It is part of the seasonal cycle.

The beauty and calmness of my surroundings made me realise that their decision will bring them peace - knowing that Cloe was no longer suffering. I paused and enjoyed the moment.

As I passed the doggy area of the park - the rain showered down.

I continued on this path which provided only a bit of shelter.

Nature teaches us that death is a part of life. It is inevitable - it is hard to fathom sometimes but we have to accept it.

In the meanwhile, we enjoy the beauty around us or beautiful moments and memories we create or experience. We savor them knowing that like this colourful tree - nature and life will continue to change and some changes we cannot resist.

All photos are my own - taken with my iPhone