Carpe Diem

Seize The Day – is a motto I live by, or try to anyway. Davie and Will, like all dogs, are masters in living in the NOW, but even though they demonstrate daily how it’s done, sometimes I get entangled in life’s many trivial things. And then something happens that catapults me back on the trail that matters.

Yesterday morning I received an early call from my friend Susan Weinstein’s partner Jan. She told me that Susan had passed away.

Susan Weinstein was a friend for a very short time. She contacted me about a year ago from her home in Ontario, because she needed to clarify a few things about dog behavior for a book she co-authored - “The New Holistic Way for Dogs and Cats” (I wrote a post about in January). We discovered right away that we have a lot in common – the way we feel about dogs, the human/dog relationship and how dogs deserve to be treated. Our friendship began almost instantly. Susan joined my clients’ exclusive google group and occasionally commented on my blog posts, and she came for a short visit in October. Susan lived in Ontario, but loved Nova Scotia very much and had visited often in the past.

Her book was published in November last year, and shortly afterwards she was diagnosed with lymphoma. Susan truly believed in natural, holistic healing and chose that route to deal with her own sickness, but sadly lost her battle yesterday. I am so glad Susan, Jan and I scraped away some time that wasn’t really there when I was in Guelph last month, and met for lunch.

Yesterday morning, Mike left for a short vacation in Calgary. We walked hand in hand till he had to board his flight. Then I took Davie and Will to Point Pleasant Park and breathed the fresh air a little more consciously, and almost hoped to feel raindrops. I made a point to really connect to my dogs. I tried extra hard to make every minute count during a follow-up session at Long Lake with a client. I paused to enjoy the dandelion carpet in our driveway before unloading the car, and the leftover supper tasted deliciously. Things I should be doing every day, I did yesterday. I seized the day.

Susan, I should tell you to rest in peace, but I know that you, like I, believed in reincarnation. You also told me you want to write more, continue to advocate for dogs. My feeling is you might not want to rest too long, but get back at it in another life. So, I’ll say “So Long, Dear Friend”.