Kaleo

Kaleo is my favorite dog of all time. Yes, I admit it. Yes, we're not supposed to have favorites, but it happens. You can't will it away, or dismiss it based on some sort of "thought correctness." Truth is, some sentient beings resonate with us more deeply than others -  be it a child, a pet or a life partner. It has to do with our karma. And so it is that Kaleo touched me more deeply than any dog so far. The grief and despair I felt at his passing was greater than any I've experienced - for dog or human.

I've always felt that Kaleo and I had known each other in a previous life. With those piercing eyes, I felt the stare of my ancestors. I felt the connection to memory from a long, long time ago. But it wasn't the memory of the mind, but of the heart and soul. And due to fortune or karma, we were brought together again, perhaps, as reward for good behavior. 

Why, then, were we separated again so soon? Is it really true that all good things don't last? Was it to teach me about impermanence, about loss? To prepare me for even greater losses up ahead? There are, of course, no definitive answers, suffice it to keep the thoughts in mind, for when situations do arise, I would be better prepared to do what I have to do. And ever since I buried him, I've felt much more at peace with his passing. I am deeply grateful.