fbpx

Check out our new merch today!

November 28, 2016

Thanksgiving in Motion

On Thanksgiving morning, my mom hugged me and we both began to cry. It was the first time we'd seen each other since Eko's death.  A hug is safety. It's protection. It's love. The promise of a hug is, "Stay right here and everything will be okay." I could have spent the rest of the day crying in that hug,  and not too long ago I might have done exactly that.  But when everything is not okay, I've learned you have to keep moving. So we wasted no time sharing stagnant and lifeless words of mourning for my pup. I doubt they would have been intelligible through the tears anyway. Instead, we raced Penny down the stairs to reunite with her first friend - my mom's dog, Auggie - and headed to the beach to meet with my brother and Doc.
Montrose Dog Beach, Chicago, Marking Our Territory On Thanksgiving morning, my mom hugged me and we both began to cry. It was the first time we’d seen each other since Eko’s death.  A hug is safety. It’s protection. It’s love. The promise of a hug is, “Stay right here and everything will be okay.” I could have spent the rest of the day crying in that hug,  and not too long ago I might have done exactly that.  But when everything is not okay, I’ve learned you have to keep moving. So we wasted no time sharing stagnant and lifeless words of mourning for my pup. I doubt they would have been intelligible through the tears anyway. Instead, we raced Penny down the stairs to reunite with her first friend – my mom’s dog, Auggie – and headed to the beach to meet with my brother and Doc. The trio of dogs took off in a mad dash across the beach. https://markingourterritory.com/2014/05/23/puppy-love/ Penny, Doc and Auggie wrestled and romped through the sand for the better part of an hour. Three dogs who just three years ago weren’t in our lives – Penny and Auggie not yet born, Doc not yet rescued . To watch these dogs run was to witness the culmination of each of our commitments to foster new love in the world. A living testament to the ideal of  an ever generous heart, no matter how many times you’ve been robbed. Penny and Auggie wildly battle was a happy reminder to stay committed to that ideal. Montrose Dog Beach, Chicago, Marking Our Territory Montrose Dog Beach, Chicago, Marking Our Territory As words failed to capture my grief when my mom hugged me, words too failed to capture my gratitude when I watched the dogs play. I quieted my mind and simply let these joyful pups carry our hearts and our hopes with them. An exuberant reminder that thanksgiving is not just words on a page or toasts given round a table. Ultimately, it is an act of forward motion. Montrose Dog Beach, Chicago, Marking Our Territory We spent a wonderful weekend with my family and Emily’s family. A celebration of thanks and love for all things past, present and yet to come. Best of all, a rejuvenating reminder to move forward with gratitude and joy. Well, after we sleep off the turkey, that is.

Comments for Thanksgiving in Motion

  1. Being in the moment of gratitude and joy makes all the difference in the world. Onward to life’s next special romp on the beach of life! P.S. Having owned 2 OES’s for nearly 15 years, I can easily say that Auggie is too adorable. I can also say I don’t miss the drool and muck dragged in from those canine clowns. 😉

  2. Connie Taylor says:

    Looks like you all found a new holiday tradition: meet, great, romp on the beach, stuff yourself with too much turkey and then a good nap. Amazing how life changes so fast and still stays the same. Glad you were able to have a much needed reunion with your mom and Auggie . Doc seemed to relish his romp with “the kids”.

  3. KarenS says:

    Watching those 3 play on the beach is the reason we keep opening our hearts up. Taking risks with love and life are scary and it would be so easy at times to just give up. But we don’t and shouldn’t.

    While mine are now too old for a vigorous romp as theirs, those will be memories that stay forever in my heart and head.

    As always, thanks for sharing these moments.

  4. Kismet says:

    At some point, you’ll just accept Eko’s fate. It’s hard, we know. You are powerless to reverse it and it’s better to concentrate on the living.

  5. meANXIETYme says:

    A hug is safety. It’s protection. It’s love. The promise of a hug is, “Stay right here and everything will be okay.”

    Yeah, this is it. I never put it into words before, but that’s totally it.

    I was glad to see the romping and the joy. Thanksgiving was hard without my mother. I had to work hard to find reasons to open myself to being thankful. Our first dog went over the bridge two months before Thanksgiving that year…for 9 years she’d been “smiling” at my extended family every Thanksgiving (which made them all roar with laughter), but that year it was so so quiet. I wasn’t sure I would make it through then or now, but I did. We will make it through. You’re doing a great job, Will.

    Happy Thanksgiving to you and all of yours, past and present.

  6. Victoria Coleman says:

    great pics of three happy, loved dogs and one very good pic of wiped out girls – glad you had such a wonderful thanksgiving! Ours was great because Rigby got a tumor aspirated and it came back a fatty tumor and not cancer-so it just helped to remind us how lucky we are to all be here together as a family!

  7. Emmadog says:

    If you want to live, you are right, you have to keep moving forward. All those firsts without Eko will be tough. There are so many but they have to be done and you keep moving on.

  8. coastingnz says:

    I was wondering how your brother was doing – and Doc too of course. Great to see Doc in a photo and fantastic to see all the kids playing so happily together. I’m sure they were playing and being thankful for having such wonderful parents who love them unconditionally – as you all love them unconditionally. You are doing very well Will, I know the pain is still strong but your strength guided by Eko is shining through. His lights may have gone out but that light is shining through your love and memories of him and continued love and joy you bring to Penny and all of your blog followers all over the world. Thankful to be on this journey with you – even if from afar.

  9. TheRidgebackLife says:

    Love the “sheepish” look Penny is giving Aggie. Obviously, it doesn’t fool him. Her reputation proceeds her and I’m sure he remembers. Doc is thinking, “here we go again.” Penny Mayhem is in her element with two very willing participants. I bet you get tired just watching her play. A huge therapy package all bundled up in your little RR. Gotta love her.

  10. Just beautiful. I think we all need that reminder to “move forward with gratitude and joy” I know I do!!!! Love how happy Penny looked with them. That cover photo is just fabulous. (((hugs))) and love to all of you!

  11. Judy Petitto says:

    Beautiful Thanksgiving and a baby step in healing.I hope this can become a family tradition. Penny needs that rough housing and play and you need it too.We all love and miss Eko to.

  12. Jo Rhodes says:

    I love the look on Doc’s face. “Here’s the plan…”
    Meanwhile Auggie and Penny co-conspiratorially let him think he’s in charge.
    I hope your sadness waves are lessened by the Eko, can you believe these people, waves. That make you shake your head.
    Sending you love and laughter, Jo, Sam and Dean

  13. fredrieka says:

    One step forward each day

  14. A great family turkey day. A new normal now. Hugs.

  15. Ogee says:

    Joy. A wonderful thing to find again on Thanksgiving day. 🙂

  16. Sounds like a perfectly wonderful Thanksgiving with family and pups and SAND! Lots of things to be thankful for – including “Mom hugs” which I have missed since 2001 but remember fondly. We just finished up the last of the turkey leftovers here…….onward to Christmas!

    Love, Pam and Sam

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow Us on Instagram

@markingourterritory