As I hurried outside on Saturday to take photos of the sunset, my two dogs followed me, as always. Older Kimmy, followed by younger Buck. Kimmy has been my constant guardian for many years. People knew how to find me on the ranch, "Just find her dog, and she'll be right there," they said.
After photographing the sunset,Kimmy caught my attention. The way she was sitting, a little sentinel, always watching, always protecting. This time, she looked different. I noticed the gravel road behind her and something inside me whispered, she'll be leaving you, just like that gravel road is leading away, she will be leaving. I took her picture, with the gravel road next to her.I felt it would be the last picture I would take of her. She was aging and her health was starting fail, I thought, "Her health would continue to fail, a 15 year old dog is an old dog."
Little did I realize that this would be her last day.
A speeding car took her life. My neighbor Stephanie was the first to know, she broke the sad news to me.
In an instant, she was gone.
My husband John and son Johnny took over her care as soon as we knew she was hit. Johnny said, "Mom, she didn't feel anything, it was instant."
Tears. Lots of tears. Grief; a lump in my throat, pain in my chest, disturbed sleep and the sadness of seeing her food dish the next morning, all a part of the process of saying good-bye and feeling the loss.
Good-bye my faithful friend, I will miss you. You took your responsibilies so seriously, never letting up, always dilligently protecting all the little critters from chickens to kittens. You even patrolled the sky above, if ever a hawk flew too close, you barked and chased it away.
Many people said kind words to me, of comfort and understanding, which I am thankful for. I was told, "All dogs go to heaven." I'm sure Kimmy is there, with all the other good dogs that were loved, and horses and cats and all our loved ones.
I was not Kimmy's first owner. I adopted her from the animal shelter. I looked for a dog for about a year, and when I saw her in the cage, I knew instanly, she was the right one for me. I inquired about her and was told she was a new arrival,her name was Rimmy. Rimmy was 7 and belonged to her first owner until she was too sick with M.S. to take care of her or her other farm animals. She was raised on a farm. I vowed to take good care of her, and remember her former owner who would have appreciated knowing her dog was going to be loved.
I wanted to name my new dog something that had meaning to me, but was close enough sounding like her old name, that she would easily adjust. I had been looking for my childhood friend Kimmy Kirkman for decades, searching every means known to me. I thought, "If I name my new dog Kimmy Kirkman, it might help me find my friend."
I did find my long lost friend Kimmy Kirkman, a series of events lead me to her, not the least, my new dog.
Kimmy is re-united with her first owner. Some day, I will enjoy their company, until then, fond memories and thankfulness for the time we had here will adorn my thoughts.
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