Life Lessons From My Dog Who Is Now Alive but Not Living

He is a fighter, and I’ll be with him until the bitter end

Sometimes you need to look outside of yourself for reminders on how to live a life on purpose, and that could mean a four-legged friend.

My dog has seen all sides of me and, over eight short years, turned many frowns upside down. But these days, there have been more tears than smiles.

He was diagnosed with encephalitis, a silent killer that targets the brain. The MRI scan showed inflammation was rampant, and many parts already brain dead. The onset was very sudden and within weeks he lost his sight and mobility. We will eventually lose him to this illness when I always imagined him passing away after he’s lived up to old age.

My husband named him Musashi, after a samurai. People always laugh at the irony. He is only a 5-pound long-haired chihuahua, but now more than ever, he is taking the role of a fighter.

Or rather, not to judge a dog by its coat. Chihuahuas get a bad rap for being dumb, and while annoying he could be at times; he was intelligent.

His best trick was to retrieve specific toys by name. It made for an excellent game of fetch or hide-and-seek. I’d call out for a toy, and he’d hunt it down, or I’d throw a bunch in the air, and he’d come back with the right one. Not dumb at all. As with people, first impressions are often wrong, if you’d just take the time to know them.

He’d eagerly do anything in return for a treat; his open mouth upturned almost in a wide smile. Food must have been the way to his heart, even crumbs off the floor. He’s shown me that hunger doesn’t…

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