Uncomplicated
Uncomplicated
Uncomplicated, beautifully simple, serene
My sweet soul had purpose
To be always there, always here, always present
Completely unconditional
Just pure love
My agility, energy and intensity
took me to the highest mountain peaks,
tackling nature’s obstacle course.
Our beach walks satiated my crab cravings
And my yearning for a solid roll in nature’s fragrance
Greeting and acknowledging seal, otter,
heron, eagle, deer, rabbit, and hummingbird,
We are all connected.
By her side, everywhere
patient, eager for her return
Always excited in
anticipation of another hike, another ride, another anything
By her side in the car, a paddleboard or ocean swim
beach walk or mountain summit,
dinner party or quiet movie night
It all mattered to me
Wherever you go, I go
Content, uncomplicated, simply unconditional
perfect companions we were
Gentle and intuitive sensing sadness, joy, fear
Tuned into unexpressed emotions
never buried in tangled thoughts and emotions
Through thick and thin, always there
a nudge of my nose
my way of expressing my uncomplicated need
Always knowing, never demanding, sometimes yearning
Before the wake of the dawn,
I join in our morning ritual,
We tune in, my howl completely in sync
I am a master at these poses,
downward dog my specialty
savasana my favourite
and Long Time Sun my signal to snuggle in
Always there, always here, always present
My purpose was clear in this lifetime
my sparkly eyes, pink tongue and devilish smile said so
Always knowing, always there, always present
We are still connected through the thin veil
In an uncomplicated way
~Dori Howard
In loving memory of my dog Bella. June 10, 2009-Jan 25, 2019
Video of Bella tuning in with me
One of my favourite books is the Art of Racing in the Rain. I read it before our Book Club was due to discuss it, and probably one of the few books I actually finished in time for book club night. It is told from the perspective of the dog, Enzo (I just made the connection between the dog’s name and my company name) and beautifully tells the story of the owner and his dog. Enzo’s owner is a race car driver (a profession I dreamed of when I was a young girl) and the life lessons learned: balance, anticipation and patience.
Everyone says their dog is special. And so I will too. Bella was a true companion, with a most uncomplicated presence. She was the perfect dog. The perfect balance of agility and energy, with a patient, calm and serene presence. She could be excited for the moment in anticipation of a mountain hike but could mobilize a major chill factor and cuddle like a lap dog. She rarely barked, and only did so to alert me to something. We understood each other. She was the kind of dog that was able to join in with any group in an unobtrusive way, occasionally nudging her nose under an arm for a little pat on the head or scratch behind the ears. A bit relentless and persistent but so what if a cup of coffee or a glass of wine was upended. It was endearing, sort of.
The unexpected loss of my dog Bella, was a sad day for me. An aggressive form of cancer had spread to her spleen and liver and the prognosis was very poor. When I took her into the vet, I was expecting some surgery, or something fixable. As the vet began to explain the findings, I realized in that moment that I would be leaving without Bella.
I have said good-bye to a few dogs in my life. The heartache when they leave is the price of that unconditional love knowing that they will only be in your life for a short time. But that time is so precious. I love how dogs remind us of just being present and in the moment. Of how being is service to others brings joy. Of how to live each day with peace and ease. Of how ]to be excited for every outing and be at your side through every heartache, every emotion. Dogs don’t shy away from those tough emotions or try to fix it or pretend. They lean in. They are just so uncomplicated.
May your soul journey on sweet Bella.
The movie, The Art of Racing in the Rain is due to be released in September 2019, and I will be first in line to see it.
