ALOHA OE, GIRLIE!

Girlie (1995 - 2011)
(Photo courtesy of Silas Kaumakahia)

She was of no pedigree lineage.  Instead, she could have been the  poster canine for POI DOG OF THE YEAR.

But what she lacked in purity of heritage, she more than excelled  in purity of heart.

She was the faithful companion of my brother, Charlie, for thirteen years.

Charlie estimates her age at death at fifteen years.  That's the equivalent of one hundred and five human years.

At the end, she could barely move anywhere outside of her one square yard of living area.

Girlie was stricken with severe arthritis.  She was also blind.

When my wife, adult children, and I visited our Kauai family in late December of 2010, we remember seeing Girlie walking stiffly in tight circles on or near her resting space just outside of the front entrance to my sister and brother-in-law's home.

Not unlike a human elder finding comfort in ever-decreasing perimeters, Girlie was content to live in her tiny and insignificant space.

But in my brother's heart, she possessed and traveled through prime real estate that had no boundaries.

On the evening of Girlie's death, Charlie looked through old pictures and watched videos of his dear, departed friend.  He thought it would bring him comfort.  Instead, he was stricken with anguish and sadness.

In Isaiah 11:6, we read:

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

Charlie can find solace in knowing that there will be animals in heaven.


Someday, when he stands at the threshold of heaven, it's reassuring to know that Girlie will be there to greet him.