And if their health fails, it falls to us to make the choice that will gently put them to rest. But until that's absolutely necessary, we pause to let the autumn sun warm our old friend's bones. And we realize, autumn is not a bad time of year at all. Old age is not a disease or a reason to give up. It is a stage of life that brings its own changes.
Autumn can be a beautiful time of harvest.
And sometimes the harvest is love. When I made the decision, I held him in my arms and felt as though I had just had my heart torn out. I knew that I was holding on to him for my sake, not his. He hurt so badly, but damn it was without a doubt the hardest decision I have ever had to make, and hopefully will not ever have to experience that again. I knew in my heart, he was ready and when it came, it was very peaceful.