She Was There for Everything

This one's personal. A reflection, a goodbye, and a thank-you to my girl. 🐾

I've written a lot of things over the years. This is one of the hardest ones.

Because last week, I lost my soul dog. My Addy girl.

Seventeen years together. Nearly half of my life. And she was there for all of it.

I was 23 when we met.

I thought I was grown. (Yeah... I wasn't.)

But she didn't care. She chose me anyway.

She crawled into my lap like she'd been waiting for me. Like she already knew the role she was about to play in my life.

That year, I got my master's degree. I started my first real job.

I was figuring out how to be an adult in a world that felt big and uncertain.

She made it feel smaller. Softer. Safer.

And she saw it all.

Every job change. Every move. Every time I fell apart, and every time I got back up.

She snuggled me through breakups. Watched The Golden Girls reruns with me on Saturday mornings. Waited patiently while I vacuumed... and then pooped immediately after (like clockwork).

She was there when I lost my dad.

There when I met my husband.

There when I left corporate and decided to believe in myself again.

It didn't matter what version of me I was becoming, she just kept showing up.

And now... she's gone. And the house feels so quiet (even with 4 dogs still here).

I still reach for her without thinking. I still brace for the patter of her paws. I still expect her to be sleeping between us at bedtime.

The grief hits in waves. But so does the gratitude.

Because how lucky am I to have had 17 years with my best girl?

So Addy, this part is for you.

Thank you for choosing me. For loving me through every season, especially the ones where I struggled to love myself.

Thank you for your little routines. Your quiet presence. Your judgmental side-eyes. Your ridiculous antics. And your fierce loyalty.

You made every home feel like home because you were in it.

I hope wherever you are, there's an endless supply of toast and soft blankets. A constant sunny spot on the floor. A big open field to sniff and run through.

And peace.

You'll always be my Addy Paddy. America's favorite. My baby girl.

I'll love you for the rest of my life.

Thank you for letting me share this part of my heart.

I'll be back next week with the usual reflections on burnout and career advice. But this week? This one's just about love.

Give your pets a little extra love today... for Addy.

With love,

Tara 🫶