Day 345
I used to be a member of CPR … Colorado Pug Rescue. I was one of the transport people. When someone relinquished a dog or if a dog needed transportation across state … I’d be that person or I’d take a leg of its journey.
That’s how I came to have Dori and Yosh. They were an emergency rescue meant to stay with me for the afternoon. Then a few more after that. And then just a few more after that.
By the third month I knew they weren’t going anywhere and that I had, officially, flunked my foster mom-hood as I ended up adopting them both.
There is simply something about pugs that once you have one you realize you are a goner. They are just so darn goofy and snuggly and cute!
In any case … today I got an email from CPR. They needed immediate help with a sensitive matter. Someone called in saying an elderly woman at a nursing home was failing and she had one last request … a dying wish …
And that was to hug a pug as she left this life.
I don’t know if the rescue group had gotten such a request before. I was overtaken by emotions … wondering who this woman was? Did she have a pug in her lifetime? If so, did she long to be with a favorite once again? And if she never had one … was it the one dog she always wanted?
I found it so sad … and yet so sweet. And even sweeter still that someone would go to the extent in actually trying to grant this woman her dying wish. How lovely is that?
In the past two days I’ve heard of two people’s passing. Cancer sucks. One of them was a client’s husband. I’d been following his CaringBridge posts for a long time. Too long of a time to be fighting as he had been. Though heartbroken for the family and my client, I was grateful that her husband was finally at peace (her final wish for him). It made my heart lighter to know that she could be by his side helping him go forward. And I hoped that if he had a last wish, that it was simple enough for her to grant it for him.
Those passings and the scare of my dad’s head trauma yesterday and today’s email has made me think … if I had a dying wish (that could only be for me) … what would it be?
And the first thing that comes to my mind is … not dying! Duh!
But if that wasn’t an option … what would that wish be? It certainly wouldn’t be for jewels or riches. You can’t really take those things with you when you go. It wouldn’t be for a bigger house or newer car or fine clothes. Again, what good would they do me?
In fact, nothing material would be fulfilling. I wouldn’t really need more patience or intelligence or understanding. So, most of the intangibles would be out the window as far as options, as well.
And in thinking about it – I think that woman in the nursing home has a good thing going with her wish … how much better would the end of your life be if you could go forward while hugging a pug?