Cody was very recently adopted, the store owner explained, and while the circumstances of his first chapter of life had not been great, it appeared he had surely hit the jackpot on his second time around. As an eight year old, large, and slightly eccentric dog, he didn't fit the criteria of most visitors to the shelter he found himself in, but his new family saw past all that and brought him home anyway, believing they might be able to give him a good year or two of love.
I snapped a few pictures and made this graphic as a little testament to Cody's new life, delighted to find the compassion in another human being which I could relate to. Being a rescue household and having taken in numerous senior dogs ourselves made my visit a meaningful introduction to a place that would go on to become part of our lives. Over the next five years the owners of this establishment educated us on quality food ingredients; counseled us about the many health issues our elderly pets faced; offered kind words when we had to say goodbye to our beloved furry family members. I'd often see Cody at the store, sometimes interested in me and my herd, sometimes aloof or napping, but always watched over carefully by his new devoted owners. We talked about what it was like to adopt a senior and the process of bringing a pet into our homes with no guarantees for how long they would stay, marveled at how well they adapted and more recently, shared our concerns as we all watched our faithful friends age.
Last night, scrolling through my news feed I came across their business Facebook page with a recently posted photo. I knew instantly that their journey of providing Cody with "a good year or two", which turned into five, had come to an end. My heart hurt for the goodbye they had to say and for the all too familiar empty space which now exists in their home. I'm sure people will offer kind thoughts in the days to come and customers may remind them of the glorious second chance at life they gave their boy, and yet I know how painfully inadequate those comments will be at filling the void in their lives.
I wanted to add a paragraph sharing some thoughts with you - not that it needs to be included, or that I must bring a focus to this post - but because I love small businesses and believe choices impact lives. Maybe this little story about Cody might reiterate the message that relationships formed when people get to know one another might be an opportunity found in the connections with our local residents/entrepreneurs. As an advocate for small business and someone who is thankful for the good folks I've been fortunate to meet, I can't help but think these encounters could be special, one-of-a-kind chances often found outside of the big box chains. After all, it seems doubtful that a sense of caring would develop from the impersonal processes of ordering online or shuffling through a giant warehouse building - perhaps supporting the people who take an interest in our lives might just be a smart idea.
Thanks for reading.
