A Buddy for all times: Dog who made our lives whole

Thirteen years ago, we brought home a beautiful golden-maned puppy despite mother’s resistance. Father’s heavy solitary vote weighed in, and we welcomed our pet, Buddy, and embraced with him all of his antics. Be it shredding toilet paper, or chewing furniture legs, or boldly strutting into mother’s room with muddied paws, we all learnt to love him in our own ways.

He shared a companionable silence with father during his morning newspaper reading routine. He listened to the evening ‘ardas (prayer)’, almost with reverence, at mother’s feet. He furtively assisted my sister finish many a meal from under the dining table. He was a permanent fixture by my side, whether it was burning the midnight oil, or an evening with friends, or even while getting married.

After my sister and I moved out of our parental home, we never felt that our parents would go through the empty-nest syndrome. They filled their time with purposeful work, and get-togethers at home adorned with lovely confabulations with friends and family. Later, the chatter of their grandchildren also added to the vibrancy of their evenings. They finally found time for their own interests, like golfing and gardening. And after the end of the day, there was always Buddy. Although a much more sober version of his former youthful self, Buddy would climb stairs despite his excruciating arthritis and give them company. His diminishing energy levels would forbid him from running around, but he would wag his tail in participation from where he was sitting.

Buddy, after having lived a wholesome life, left us in August. When he passed away, my children accompanied us to bury him. They too joined us in bidding him farewell with flowers and cards. They had a slew of questions for me later.

“Mama, will Buddy become a star?” “Will he be reborn as a puppy and come back to us?”

“Will he be happy going to God?” I didn’t have any answers for them at that moment. We opened our treasure on the phone instead, and revisited fond memories of him. Buddy’s first night at home, his insatiable appetite, his rather overly enthusiastic way of greeting guests, the way he tiptoed around my babies when they arrived… the memories were countless.

His loss sensed similar to what I felt when I moved from my parents’ home. The time was right, the shift was synchronous with the natural flow of life. However, it felt like the end of a chapter. The average life span of a golden retriever is 10-12 years, Buddy had outlived it. In terms of theories on age and longevity, the time was certainly ‘right’. This was, indeed, the natural course of life. However, no matter how wholesome a life one has led, no matter how many good things await in the future, one can never be quite prepared for leaving. Although, leaving, despite all

the hurt that accompanies, is positive. It denotes movement from one milestone to the next, from one chapter to the next. Still, there remains a tinge of longing, because life cannot be lived backwards.

When Buddy left, it too felt like the end of a chapter. However, leaving, though uneasy, signals a new start. He came into our lives and changed us. We bonded in so many ways because of him. He filled our lives with so much love and laughter, that we’ll always have ample space in our hearts for pets, even though, there’s a corner in our hearts which will always remain with Buddy alone. As Rodger A Caras says, “Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.”

NO MATTER HOW WHOLESOME A LIFE ONE HAS LED, NO MATTER HOW MANY GOOD THINGS AWAIT IN THE FUTURE, ONE CAN NEVER BE QUITE PREPARED FOR LEAVING