Emmie’s Wisdom
Read Emmie’s adoption story here.
Whenever I returned to visit after moving away from home, we always had the same routine. My dad opened the front door as soon as my car stopped, and our family dog Emmie would run out to greet me. Emmie had helped me through a tough period of life, and it was hard being away from her. She and I could hardly wait to see each other.
After Bryan and I had been dating a while, he’d join me sometimes when I visited. Emmie really took to him. The feeling was mutual; Bryan happily petted her as she leaned into his leg. He hadn’t had a dog growing up and didn’t know much about them, but Emmie trained him well. Each time we arrived at my parents’ house, she’d give him a sweet greeting after rushing into my arms.
At some point, Bryan brought up marriage. The notion of marrying someone had never crossed my mind. Unlike many people, I had never dreamed of my wedding day or planned to have kids. I’d need to process this idea.
Sometime later, we visited my parents again. When we pulled in the driveway, my dad opened the front door as he always did so that Emmie could run out to greet me.
But this time, as Emmie was sprinting toward me, she noticed Bryan getting out of the other car door. She pivoted, and ran over to greet him first. He beamed and hugged her. I knew she was telling me something.
Dogs are incredibly intuitive about people, and Emmie was telling me this guy was worth keeping. I decided to take her sage advice.
A few months later, Emmie died unexpectedly.
***
At our wedding, Bryan and I lit a candle that listed the names of special friends and family members who had died. Emmie was included.
My friend Heidi stood up to make a toast. The two of us have been friends since junior high, and she knows me well. She got right to her point.
“I’m surprised we are here. I always thought Amy would live alone with a pack of dogs for the rest of her life.” Everyone laughed.
Heidi might have been right, if not for Emmie.
Remember Mila? I received this sweet picture of her this week, holding her beloved stuffed lamb.