The reality of life and death are setting in for me as I labor this morning, typing the words in for this blog post. It is difficult as I search for the silver lining. There seems to not be a one for me. My Jake is really gone. The harshness chews at my heart, the emptiness.

Life, it is short, and passes quickly.

Death, it is short, and passes quickly.

These words  sound the same, each one leaving a wake of memories.

There is hope and understanding my friend is no longer in pain, and he understood my motives. They say there is a “Rainbow Bridge” so I may see my lost companions one day. I pray this is true and I look forward to that day.

If it were to have been my way he would be standing behind me wagging his tail begging for his morning treat only to find a nice place for his nap, comforting me with his presence.

I did find Jake was loved by many. That makes me proud of him. There were hundreds of well wishers with a common thread saying “I felt like I knew Jake from his posts, we love him and he will be missed”.

What a great tribute for my friend. Thank you all.

The lesson for today is about the passing of time. Jake lived a long life for a Border Collie of more than 15 years. And now as I set in my office chair quietly working through the many emotions I see that 15 years is a blink of an eye.

What is the reality of 15 years? For me, I will be in my seventies.

If I am not happy where I am it is time to make a move towards my dreams. This event will create change in my life, so stay tuned. I am already planning some new chapters.

Again I want to thank each of you for listening as I share my story of Jake. I believe this is helping me cope. Tomorrow I want to write something fun in remembering Jake. So please visit.

He will be missed dearly and be thought of daily.

They say life is not the numbers but the dash in between. If this is true a single dash was not enough.

Love you my friend Jake Marvel 2001———2016