Just a reminder to stop and smell the flowers........

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Carolyn R

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I had a sobering reminder this morning that, as many of you already know, we must stop to smell the flowers and enjoy life.

After several days of steady decline, we have come to the conclusion that we will have to put our lab down today. I knew it was coming, he is fourteen. This morning I told my daughter she needed to go give him some love and tell him he's a good boy. She is almost 16, so the reasoning behind my request was blatantly clear. I worked through that quagmire of emotions, wiped away her tears, gave her a hug and sent her onto the bus.

I left the house to get a load of hay. On the 10 minute drive I contemplated how my son, at 9 years of age, was going to handle the news and saying good bye to our lab before going of to elementary school. My father was getting my son together for school until I got back with my hay. While driving, my mind drifted to some of my favorite moments with the kids and our lab, Hunter. Undoubtedly some of my favorite pics popped into my mind, moments of the kids playing with him (in this digital age, please remember to take lots of photos and capture those memories!).

I started getting pretty misty eyed just prior to reaching the farm I get my hay from. Thought I should wipe away my tears so I didn't look too much like I had a rough night out. I noticed some flares on the roadside still burning but down to the last few inches. There is a bad turn in the road, there were some cinders and glass fragments, and I thought , I hope their okay, looks like it was bad, maybe it looks worse than it was.....and with that I put things into perspective with our dog,......he is old, he was loved, and he never spent an afternoon in a rain or snowstorm unless he was out playing with the kids, and he never spent a night outside. As far as dogs go, he had a pretty good life.

A mile down the road I found myself pulling into the driveway to get my hay. I lined up my trailer and waited for George (out of respect I always find myself calling him Mr.Teter). He is the sweetest 90 year old man. He can still sling a bail of hay better than most guys 1/3 rd of his age. His dog adores him, is always at his heals for hours on end when he is farming the fields with the tractor. He is a great guard dog, but has taken a special likening to me. Mr.Teter insists that dogs have good instincts about a person with a good soul. I attribute it to the fact that I always pet him up and have a pocket full of treats for him.

Today, Mr.Teter seemed different, he wasn't sick, he wasn't annoyed, he just seemed off. He threw the hay bails down to the ground and I preceeded to start loading them. He was much faster than usual in doing this task. After he stepped down and began to help me load the remaining bails, he turned to me, and began to tell me his morning had an awful start. It was then that I could see the pain on his face and his heart breaking as he began to tell me that he just got news that his grandson had been killed in a car accident just outside of town. My heart broke for him. All I could do is give him a huge hug and tell him how sorry I was. I knew the flares i passed were set for that accident.

He has, in his 90 years, seen huge amounts of joy and heartbreak, no doubt, and in that moment I think I saw him age ten years before my eyes.

There was no anger, or bitterness, but just the conclusion that each day is a gift, take it, enjoy it, be thankful for it and do our best to let go of our anger and not hold grudges. Stop and take the time to smell the flowers, say thank you, or give someone a heartfelt hug and an " I am glad your here." life is precious, no matter how big or small, or how young or old, please take time today to stop and smell the flowers......
 
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Thank you for your story, a thoughtful and heartfelt reminder, hugs about your beloved dog.
 
Thank you so much for sharing. *hugs* Sorry to hear about your dog
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So very sorry for both you and Mr. Teter. Life definately is not too be taken for granted. Every moment we spend with our loved ones is precious and a memory to be cherished. Today is the three year anniversary of my fathers passing. Your post made me realize that I am not the only one hurting today and that I was lucky to have had him for 52 years. Take care and I will be thinking of you and your family today.
 
Carolyn, thank you for your timely post. Life is such a mixture of joy and sorrow. My dad was diagnosed with leukemia yesterday. My neighbor's little schnauzer got ran over and killed right before her eyes this evening. The car never even slowed down. I have seen friends from age 3 to 82 die in the past couple of years...crazy departures from mad cow disease to falling off a concrete dock hitting head first. I am reminded so much to embrace life and enjoy the journey. We will be soon finding out what stage my dad's disease is in and be looking at treatment options. I can't even describe how I feel but reading your post I feel like I am not the only one who needs a hug and a tissue.
 
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That is so sad..... I feel for you and your friend (((HUGS)))

I try to stop and smell the flowers everyday.
 
Vickie I am so very sorry about your Dad. Hopefully they will have caught this soon and will be able to treat it quickly and with success. I will be holding your family in my thoughts.

I will be visiting a very good friend this weekend who is dealing with bladder cancer. She is on her second round of chemo. She has always had beautiful hair and unfortunately lost it to chemo. In her honor and for all those dealing with a severe illness, I went day before yesterday and got all my hair shaved off. I have just enough to cover my head. It is actually very liberating and I will be keeping it that way from now on. It makes me realize that their are more important things in life.

Everyone take a moment to do just what Carolyn suggested. Hug your loved ones, smell the flowers, play ball with your dogs and kids. Dance like you are not being watched, sing at the top of your lungs. Enjoy life minute by minute, breath by breath.

Everyone who is facing challenges, my heart and thoughts are with you and I hope that in the sadness, you can also find something to celebrate.

Take care
 
Vicky, I am so sorry. Hopefully there is a course of treatment that will be effective at keeping it at bey. We all honestly just don't know what has been woven into the final chapter of each of our stories, sometimes we are so fixated on a personal situation or diagnosis, we forget live the day we have before us.

For those of you that know this story and know it well.......Somehow someway, after the dust has cleared, and we realize we have made it through the storm,we tend to look back and "see only one set of footprints".

Happy you are all here and offer to share your heartache as well as your support when it is needed.
 
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Indeed this is a great place to share your heartache, anxieties, and celebrations.
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This coming from an often in her shell crab (born in July/sign Cancer).

Thanks guys. My Dad has CLL or chronic lymphocytic leukemia which is the least worse of them. He got told years ago that he has prostate cancer but that he would likely be taken by "old age." The doctor is basically saying this is treatable as well so he better keep looking out for "old age to get him." He will be 84 this summer.

Yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift.
 
Carolyn, Mr. Teter sounds precious. I had my own Mr. Teter until he passed a couple of years ago. His name was Jack. We loved and admired him so much. I always left his place feeling like I had smelled the flowers.
 
Carolyn, your story is very touching and a very good reminder to us all that life is so precious. We need to enjoy everyday we have with loved ones. I lost my Dad and one of my dachshunds this past year both broke my heart. The pain we all endure sometimes is so great and sometimes overwhelming but we have our fond memories that help us to heal. I am so sorry about your Lab, he was a dear part of your family and it is a difficult time for your all. You will see him again one day over the rainbow bridge........... God Bless.

Vickie so sorry about your Dad. I hope it was caught in an early stage he will be able to get treatment. There are so many wonderful healing doctors and medical advances that many times prognoses are good. Prayers for you and your Dad.
 

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