The Weenie

My grandpa has a little weenie dog named Sophie (I call her Weenie). She's more of a family dog really. She started out as my mother's dog, but she was commandeered by my grandparents when my grandmother got sick. It was good for Sophie because it meant she wasn't alone all day. It was good for my grandparents because she is a total character and she made them smile. I think she helped my grandmother deal with her pain. And she kept my grandfather from getting lonely after my grandmother passed away. My sister, my nieces and I all love that little dog as if she were our own.

Last November, the vet told my grandfather that Sophie had an inoperable tumor and that she only had about 6 months to live. Someone must have forgotten to tell her though because Sophie is still with us, thank goodness. That little dog has so much heart and doesn't know when to quit. She still lives for treats and rides and dinner time. She's always up for a pat on the head or a tummy rub or just sitting next to you while you read a book. But she is getting slower and she's more likely to be napping than not. I don't know what my grandfather will do once she's gone.

I saw her yesterday and as usual, she came out to greet me and touch her nose to my hand. Then we went outside and she rolled around in the grass in the warm sunshine and chased birds out of the yard. It was total bliss for her and she looked like she was grinning. And we laughed to see her having so much fun.

I remember getting into an argument with someone once about whether or not dogs go to heaven. They said they didn't becuase they don't have a soul. I said how could they not when they give such unconditional love and joy to the people in their lives? I don't think in black & white about religion anymore. I was raised Catholic but I'm not practising anymore. I still go to mass sometimes, mostly for my grandfather and my mom, and while I do enjoy the cermony of it, it doesn't fit my beliefs anymore. I believe in a benevolent source. I believe that all things have a "soul" whether it's a person, a dog, or even a place. I'm not sure if I believe in a heaven exactly, but it's hard for me to imagine that a life's force just ceases to exist. I still feel my grandmother's presence around me and my family. I would like to think that when Sophie's time does come, she'll run across a field, ears flying, to greet my grandmother.