Today would have been the 15th birthday of our wonderful, sweet doggie Pepper. We said good-bye to her last June and every day we think about her, talk about her in some way, look at something that reminds us of her. Her memory will live on with us forever and in that way, she gets to live on forever. Since it's her birthday we wanted to do something for her memory. I'm not good at coming up with ideas like this, and even more so when there is such strong emotion attached to it. But, as I was thinking of her and missing her on her special day today, I came up with these words for her. Happy Birthday Pepperoni. We love you. We miss you.
509 Days
It's been 509 days since we said good-bye to you
I've grown 509 new gray hairs in your memory
I've shed 509 tears at your loss
I've said I love you 509 times
509 thoughts of you have passed through my mind
And 509 more. And more. And more
509 pictures of other dogs who look like you
Not one of them is as wonderful. You're 509 times better than they
In those 509 days I've talked about you
To at least 509 people, or so it seems
Maybe I've just talked to myself 509 times about you
So that I can never forget you
Your face has appeared to me 509 times
Pictures, video, thoughts and dreams - 509 memories
Frozen in my mind for the last 509 days
And each time, 509 times, it's made me smile
I know that no other could take your place
509 others could walk through my life and not be you
I wouldn't try. It would be 509 times as hard to replace you
So I won't. It's 509 times as easy to not
Someone could give me 509 reasons to let go
That these 509 days were wasted thinking about you
They'd be wrong. I haven't wasted 509 days by remembering you
I've relived 13 years with you.
