On Commitment and Letting Go

As many of you know, my lovely little Golden Retriever, Sooki has been diagnosed with a mass in her abdominal cavity.  At this time, we are waiting for the results from a full body CT scan performed yesterday.  Only a clear diagnosis will tell me what path we will take....yes, WE.  Sooki is 14 years old and we have been in a most committed relationship for over 12 years since she adopted me.  Sooki took me under her care on one of the most darkest days of my life and has been with me through thick and thin, fun and not so fun times, been my guinea pig while in med school (ever look up a dog's nose with a magnifying glass?  Fascinating!), letting me test her reflexes and practicing acupuncture on her.  She's run 5 miles every morning with me for years while I trained for my fights.   In return, I've let Sooki chase squirrels, rabbits, eat everything and more or less do anything else her little heart pleases.  In the past few years, she graduated from Therapy Dog School just so she could assist me in my practice by making sick patients smile or just sharing her love. 
Now, after all these years of her taking care of me, it's time for me to take care of Sooki.  I will make sure she has normalcy and great quality of life and we will continue to do what we always do everyday until she tells me it's time to go onto her next adventure.  We have no regrets, we only have happy memories of all the crazy things we've done together.  And when her time comes to retire from her present job, I will certainly miss her physically, but she will always be next to me.
Sooki is one of God's lesser angels.  They come into our lives when we need them most; they take care of us and show us what love is.  They only leave us when they are certain their job is done.  Sooki has led me to the path of knowing true love for humans and has led me to the loving arms of one very special human in particular.  That has been her job.  She's certainly worked very hard all these years and I know she's already planning her next adventure.
So, if you're around our downtown office, feel free to stop by and say hello...all treats gladly accepted (Auntie Felicitas has already sent her goodies...thank you!) and thank her for the fun and laughter she's given to you.
Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Life can be short, life can be long.  It's all relative.  Do your lives with no regrets and remember, it's YOUR LIFE AND NO ONE ELSE'S.  Don't allow other people's rules or opinions steer you away from doing what you know is going to give you a full life.  No one else walks in your skin and no one has a right to tell you how to do your life, so don't fall into the trap of false guilt ; this is unhealthy and leads to stress-related physical disease.
If they love you, they will stay committed to you, love you and allow the winds of life dance between you.