once upon a time

on my 21st birthday, a four-month old black, springer spaniel lab came into my life. she was a bday gift from my then boyfriend, and although he had serious reservations, she was the pooch that i wanted. i couldn't turn down those big, brown eyes trustingly gazing at me from her kennel. nor could i bear the thought of the pound putting her to sleep because she was on the last day of her "available adoption" period. so, she came home with us.

back then, i really didn't know how to properly raise a dog. but i tried, and hashi was very patient with me as i navigated the waters of parenthood. she knew her basic commands although it took several rounds of obedience school (took us awhile to get a hang of it), and she loved spending time with the people she loves. and when we weren't around, she let us know. i remember sitting inside my classroom taking a final all the while hearing cries and whines. the girl was loud -- everyone in my class could hear her, and i recall my professor glaring at hashi through the window. no surprise, that years later i learn that spaniels have severe separation anxiety. go figure.

during her younger years, i was amazed at her energy and strength. she used to pull me or my ex down the street while we were on our bauer in-line skates, and she only weighed 45 lbs! i can attest that we each motored down the streets of davis whenever she was leading -- the girl was very strong and nimble. athleticism aside, she also loved to cuddle. she wasn't super affectionate but she defintely needed to be in our presence and to cuddle with me while we slept -- no matter what temperature it was outside.

when i brought her home after graduating college, my parents just about flipped out. they were never big dog fans, and hemmed over what i brought home. but hashi won them over with her gentle, sweet, and loving personality. since then, she has been an integral family member. it's no surprise that she got very spoiled including the occasional burger patty (we did own a burger restaurant after all) and lots of white rice. we're all convinced that she is an asian dog :)

what i loved the most was her dance of joy. there never was a time when she didn't greet me with her special dance of running up and down the hallway and in circles, tail wildly wagging whenever i came home from school or work. over the years, her dance slowed down a bit but the joy was always there. her unconditional love for me serves as a reminder of how we should love others.

sixteen birthdays later, she quietly passed away in her sleep. i miss her. more so since we had to leave her with my mom after getting married and adopting marley and ginger (young pups and a very senior dog do not mix). i'm saddened that i didn't get to properly say goodbye but i'm comforted knowing that we cared for her as best as we could and that she lived a very good life with us. i'm thankful and feel blessed that God granted us an extra five years together. He provided the funds for her risky surgery to remove the cancerous tumor and made sure she made it through that procedure. and yes, it was worth every penny and delaying the outrigger canoe purchase. i would not trade that extra time together for anything.

although she wasn't my first pet, she is still very near and dear to me since she's my first pet as an adult. and somewhere in heaven, she's happily running and playing at full speed, in a body that hasn't aged or broken. and she's playing with with our other pets who have passed over the years -- lucky, polo, and trampers. that's gotta be cool.