True Love

By: Spottedflames

I believe in true love.

Have you ever loved with an open heart and an open mind, as well as open arms? I have. And I have realized that true love means much, much more than saying, " I Love you", more than "happily ever after", more than a candle lit night under the stars, more than what you hear in fairy tales and a bed time story. No, true love is about having an open heart, an open mind, open arms, and in my case, saying goodbye.

I learned what true love was on the morning of June 16, 2009. The day my dog, Lady Dog, had to be put down and laid to rest. Lady Dog lived a long, happy, healthy life of eight years. Lady Dog was a Border collie/ Blue Heeler cross, her eyes were a deep, rich brown. Her paws were white with black spots. Lady Dog had been having seizures for at least six months. We'd known this day would come, but we just didn't want it to.

Her final seizure began at five in the morning, and as with all of her other seizures, she thrashed, she barked, she lay on her side with her legs pumping, as if she were swimming. An average seizure like the ones she'd had before, the only difference was that this time, she couldn't stop. I looked to my mom ,hoping that there would be some reassurance, but I found none. I knew what they were going to do, they would do the humane thing, and lay her to rest. I don't know how long I cried on that day, but then again, maybe I don't want to know.

When they brought her back home, my heart was as broken as it could ever be. I knew it was best for her. Two things happened to me then at that moment; One, I'd lost the best dog I'd ever known, and Two, a part of me died with Lady Dag. I haven't seen that part of me since then.

Sometimes you have to let go of those you truly love, and when you do, a part of you goes with them when you say goodbye. That day taught me that true love hurts, and that the hardest part of true love is saying goodbye and letting go, but all of that pain is worth it. A broken heart is just one step of the process of true love.

True Love, This I Believe.