eulogy

I worked at an animal sanctuary. One day a woman brought a dog to us. She had worked for weeks to gain this dog's trust enough to get her into her apartment in Philadelphia. Once in the apartment, the dog started destroying the woman's things. So the woman brought the dog she named Gracie to our sanctuary. Gracie was not impressed with her new situation. She was shy and distrustful of the men who ran the sanctuary. She took a liking to me instantly. Ron was there that day too and she seemed to like him too. She followed me everywhere on the farm. She liked to chase the animals on the farm, so her being with me was not always convenient. When the vet came, we would try to lock Gracie up so she would not "help" me help the vet. I say try because it rarely worked. First, she learned to open a sliding glass door. Then she managed a regular door. Once, we shut her in an unfinished building and she somehow climbed into the rafters and dropped out of the eaves and ran right to me. After a few months the owners had to hold her on a leash for an hour after i left so she wouldn't try to follow me home. She would be sitting in my parking spot every morning, sometimes with a gift for me.
One day came where she could no longer stay there, so I took her home with me. She was so happy! A few hours later the man who ran the sanctuary came and took her away. He fired Ron and I and said we couldn't have her. (he was having a mental break that had nothing to do with us.) Ron and my wedding was 3 weeks later. After our honeymoon, I told Ron how sad I was without her. Ron contacted the guy and he said we could come see her. He took us all around the farm and she was not there yet. finally, I went inside and Gracie was laying on the couch. The guy said her name, called her and she didn't move or respond. I said, "hey" and she leapt onto me from 5 yards away. She was sobbing, I've never heard anything like it before or since. The guy let us take her because she had eaten one of every shoe he owned, all his remotes and many of his pillows. She lived with us 14 more years and never chewed anything of ours, she was mad at him.
She was part of our family immediately. She loved me so much. I used to joke that I had a 70 pound shadow. She followed me from room to room, job to job, house to house.
Ron shared me with her, but it was very clear Gracie was mine and I was hers. She would press her head into my legs or lap any chance she could.
Her total dedication to me was unwavering.
She saved my life at least once. A man jumped at me on the rail trail and Gracie jumped back at him, barking and looking very intimidating. He left. Who knows how many times on our walks her looks kept me safe?
She went around the USA with us in the RV we bought for her.
She was so pretty. People would ask me what her breed was and would always say, beautiful wonderful & perfect.
She really was.
She was what dogs should be.
I am blessed to have known her.
I am grateful for the 14 years I got with her. It was not near long enough.
I am heartbroken.

My shadow is far too light, my soul far too heavy.