October 14th at Last

Oh Suki, it's been a terrible 17 weeks without you, and now the long summer is finally over. It's cooling off they are beginning to pick the avocados, and it has even rained. I am finally through counting down the weeks, counting down the days, until Dinka will be with me. Tomorrow morning I will leave for Beit Oved to begin my new partnership with Dinka. I know that from the moment they bring Dinka to me I will be happier, and once more have the joy and security of having a guide dog by my side. Suki, you are the one who is largely responsible for that, because you were the one who showed me just how wonderful a guide dog partnership can be! So I have you to thank, Suki, even though you are no longer here with me. Yes, Suki, we should have had many more years together. But I will have to go on, and as I have told you, you will be there in that special place in my heart that remains yours forever. I will miss you always, but I will no longer long for you, because I will have another dog to love. The reason I will love DInka so much is because I loved you so much. I will be happy with her because I was so happy with you. And the reason my life will be whole again is because it was complete with you! I was so unfortunate to lose you, Suki, but I was so very lucky to have had you and to have enjoyed the wonderful special partnership we had.


In my mind you will be walking alongside DInka and me through Yavneh, Rehovot, and Rishon, learning how to use moving stairs, crossing intersections, practicing how to deal with traffic and walking around obstacles on the sidewalks. It will be easier for me because we did these things so well together. It was only three years ago that we performed these same tasks for the first time, and many of the places we walk will be fresh in my mind from when I walked them with you, and there will be many happy memories of those first days we had together, as I enjoy those first days with Dinka while we get to know each other.

So thank you Suki, for doing everything you did and being the wonderful dog you were! There will be a special plaque at Beit Oved with your name on it, and it says what I thought was most important: "My lovely Suki, I'll always remember you!" The plaque is there for others to see. I won't need any reminder. You'll be with me always, even after I stop mourning and I have a new dog to love. And if I shed an occasional tear at some familiar memory during the course, Dinka will comfort me, and we'll continue on together, with her harness in my hand and you in my heart. So watch us, Suki. I know we'll do fine.