Stirring Point

Kendal and I lost our beloved dog, Hershel, to an unexpected illness on Friday, September 8th. She brought him into my life four and a half years ago, and I have no words to express the gratitude I feel for our time together. He was 95 pounds of pure kindness, and his tenderness functioned like a glue that bound our happy home together.

Kendal’s love for Hershel has been a lesson for me in commitment, selflessness, and priorities. Never once did she shortchange his needs for the sake of her own. Her effort was complete, from the moment she first held him as a puppy until he exhaled his last breath while her hands gently caressed his tired body. He rewarded her with nine beautiful years of companionship, and while there were several worldly hurdles she was forced to navigate during that time, he always managed to erase her pain like some elixir or magic potion. Their love was different—a language only the two of them spoke—and I’m grateful to have felt the loving waves they diffused, just by being in their orbit.

One eye cries tears of joy for all our beautiful memories: the countless snuggles, swimming together at the lake in Vermont, his perpetual licking, and his “happy dance” that greeted us every time we came home. The other eye cries tears of sorrow, knowing he faced pain he couldn’t express, that we lost him too early, and that I wasn’t there to hold Kendal’s hand or to rub my boy’s chest once more when he finally moved on to a painless place. 

If you knew him, you loved him, and that brings us comfort. Because I’m certain he loved you—love was his only setting, his sole form of communication.

While our grief is heavy, the joy he gave us outweighs our momentary sadness. We’ll one day remember him for only what he was, not simply for what we’ve lost. We must let things be as they are.

Kiss your pets today, a family member, your child, or a friend. Let someone know what they mean to you. Hold their hand, if only for a moment, in case another moment fails to come along.

We love you, Hershey.