Thirteen years ago today, at some point, my life was set on a path. I didn’t know it that day. It would be three years until I understood the magnitude of this date, one so great, as to change my life and my purpose, forever.
Today is Melvin’s birthday. He would have been 13.
There are parts of me so full of joy that he was born, that we found each other, that I got to love him. Oh man, that I got to be the one to love him is so much of everything that it is in fact, everything. Me. I was chosen. I’m infinitely grateful for everything about him.
I have never wanted to be by a dogs side as they grew older, more than I did with Melvin. Every year, he was more soulful, our connection more spiritual. I cannot imagine anything more delicious than Melvin being 13. I would have been honored to care for him, to linger longer on walks, to stare into his always loving eyes.
Melvin and I were not meant to grow older together. He is forever ten. Same goes for Jake, he is forever eight.
On Melvin’s birthday today, I will celebrate love. I will celebrate all the moments I had with him, and all the moments I’ve had becasue of him.
Today, I choose joy.
Maybe, just maybe, Melvin and Jake, were preperation for me guiding Doug as he grows older. Maybe Doug will be, my old dog.
Time will tell. Melvin will guide us. Love lives on.
This was my last birthday letter to Melvin, on his tenth birthday. The day after that birthday, he was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma.
We still won.
What a tribute to a beautiful dog!!! Love all the pictures you continue to post of Melvin. Thank you for sharing him with all of us.
There are, oh so many photos! Thankfully!!! xoxo
Happy Would Have Been 13 Birthday Melvin! Thank you for being born and sharing your mom with us. So much love.
So much love!!!
Happy #13 Melvin! Hope you and Jake are doing something fun!
Ha! I have a vision! 😍
Happy 13th Birthday Melvin, I’m sure you can feel all the love that your Mum is putting out there. Beautiful boy xxx
❤️❤️❤️
Oh Tracy, you indeed all won! What a wonderful post. What a wonderful timeless Melvin. Love lives on!
I love that, timeless Melvin! ❤️
These gentle spirits always stay with us. Your post makes me thankful of the animals I have known that have shared their love with me. In some cultures, they truly are considered “spirit guides” (see the movie Coco if you haven’t!) and I can tell you know that is true as well.
I wholeheartedly believe this!! I need to see Coco now!!!
It is an animated movie all about Mexican culture and family and music. But one thing I love SO much about it is the fact that they talk about how animals are our spirit guides. I think Native American and Mexican cultures believe this fairly strongly, and when I saw this I connected so deeply with the idea. Your writing reminds me of this, so I think you would enjoy it. 🙂
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Happy Angel Birthday Melvin! Love your smiling face <3
Thank you!! xoxo
It get’s easier for me each year that Sam is gone. I don’t think a day goes by where I don’t think of him.
Happy Birthday, Angel Melvin!
Monty, Harlow, and Ramble
They are forever in our hearts. ❤️🌈❤️
As Jennifer Pastiloff says, “When I get to the end of my life and I ask one final, ‘What have I done?’ Let my answer be, ‘I have done love.'”
You have and are doing love and with so much joy. Yes, you’ve won.
I. Love. This. Thank you, and right back atcha!!