Millie, my four-legged best friend

To say I am grateful for my dog, Millie, is an understatement. Millie has been one of the best things that has happened for my husband and me. She's a 25lb white/apricot Cockapoo (Cocker Spaniel/Poodle mix), and she is SO much fun. She is smart, sweet, and adorable. She loves to eat treats, go for walks, play fetch, snuggle on the couch, and get belly rubs from all of our neighbours.

I am very confident that dogs have an intuition that we, as humans, don't. Before my mom was diagnosed with cancer, Millie was constantly at her side. If she wasn't at her side, she would come running every time my mom coughed. It was so noticeable that my mom and I joked about how Millie loved Mom more than me, since Millie would only come running if Mom coughed (even a fake one), and not if I coughed. A couple short weeks later, Mom was diagnosed with lung cancer, and we all wondered if it was possible that Millie had already sensed something was wrong.

For the next several weeks, every time we visited with Mom, Millie parked herself right up on the couch on top of Mom, acting as her snuggle-buddy and protector.

Millie’s presence is a constant reminder that I am never alone in my grief. Her unconditional love and instinctive support has provided me with a sense of comfort that words cannot fully express. Through the days, weeks, months, and years that I have been grieving the loss of my mom, Millie is always by my side.

One particularly tough day, I was sitting on the couch, tears streaming down my face, overwhelmed by the emptiness I felt without my mom. Millie jumped up beside me, rested her head on my lap, and looked up at me with her big, soulful eyes. In that moment, I felt an inexplicable connection and understanding from her. She stayed with me until the tears stopped, reminding me of the power of silent companionship.

Today is Millie's 4th birthday, and I will spend today appreciating all the joy and comfort she has brought into our lives. Her love and playful spirit have been a source of light in some of my darkest days. Celebrating her birthday marks another year of her life but also reminds me to acknowledge the profound impact she has had on mine.

Happy birthday, Millie. Thank you for being my furry, four-legged best friend, and for helping me navigate through my grief with your unconditional love and affection.