True Love Never Ends

Merry Christmas 2018

We were making our final room visit on the evening of Saturday, December 8, 2018. We were excited to give them my Christmas card with a candy cane and spend a little time absorbing the deep love and respect that grows unconditionally between a husband and wife through the years of raising children, spending time with grandchildren, and cherishing the many blessings in their lives. My mom and I grew very close and fond of this old couple who shared with us many reflections of their lifetime. They are so proud of their children and at the end of the day, they are grateful for the results of their labor. They were special to us because they are the only "couple" on our visit list. They vowed to stay together in sickness and in health even when it means that one must lose independent living.

I could tell that they both genuinely loved me because they would not stop petting me. The older man would even occasionally rise from his chair to be near me. Oh, the things he knows about dog training. He even had a supply of treats stored just for me when I visit. I think it is pretty unusual to see married humans together for over 50 years considering the average life expectancy of us Golden Retrievers is 8-12 years. We observed the love and fondness being exchanged with their eyes from the furniture of an assisted living center through our many visits.

I was in my sit position when my mom rang their doorbell. I could hardly wait for the older man to answer his door and invite us in. I knew that they would treasure my Christmas card. To our dismay, a stranger answered their door. It was not the older couple. My mom was shocked and I was confused. What happened to them?! The staff at the nursing home couldn't tell us anything due to HIPAA law. My wonderful shift ended in confused turmoil. What happened to them?!

When I started this dog therapy job, I did not realize how much these old folks would mean to me. It seems to me that the more love I spread, the more love comes back to me. Could this be one of life's greatest gifts?

My mom did a little investigative work to inquire about what happened to the kind older couple and what she discovered is a great love story. The health of the man's wife is beginning to fail. He could see that she would not be able to stay where they were. If they were to stay, she would have to be moved to a different unit where it would be difficult for him to stay with her. In his experienced wisdom, he decided to move them to a place where he could still be close to his wife. He wanted to be prepared for their future. True love never ends.

Humans are so complex, yet, love is the mutual bond that connects all things. Spreading the love conquers multitudes of evil. I will continue to spread my love through dog therapy and I now hope to expand the locations of those I serve.