I immediately knew what I wanted to share this year.
The swimming pool has always been a place for our family to gather and have fun together. And though I’m not a great swimmer – my dogs have all believed through the years that I’m about to drown and have taken measures to save me – I have treasured memories of time spent in a swimming pool.
Though the swimming pool has changed – once because I moved and then because of renovations – it stayed the place where memories are gathered.
The most recent, and bittersweet, of those memories are about Emmett.
Regular readers will know that I lost him in December 2016. I even wrote a short story about my loss (which, in its Afrikaans version was published early this year in the Inkspraak anthology).
Emmett loved swimming. He started swimming because he jumped in after me (he thought I was drowning) and pulled me to the pool’s steps. We would race the length of the pool (he always won and swam back to get me), we would swim late on summer nights when we were supposed to be sleeping, and he taught Cal and Tony how to swim even though he was riddled with cancer.
We can talk about the aggressive bone cancer that claimed his life in only six weeks. We can talk about how Emmett and I sat on the pool’s top step the day before he died, when he was too weak to swim because the cancer had metastasised to his lungs. We can talk about how hard it’s been to go swimming ever since. We can talk about the great excuse winter brought to stay out of the swimming pool. We can talk about how it felt losing my best friend and beta reader (he always whined when things didn’t sound right).
But I’d rather leave you with this picture.
*The words on the photo of Emmett came from Pinterest, though I have no idea who wrote it. It felt fitting, though.
Do you like to go swimming? Have you swam with your dogs?
Oh Ronel, I’m so sorry about Emmett. Your post made me a little misty-eyed. As a human owned by two cats, I understand the loss of a fur baby and how special each and every one is in our heart. I hope you get back to swimming because Emmett would want you to enjoy the pool and not see it as a place of sadness. Hugs for you and thank you for participating in #CBF17.
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Thanks, Mary 🙂 Being owned by fur babies is something everyone should experience.
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I’m not a big swimmer, but I am a huge fan of dogs and I understand how much their love can mean. There’s a very special bond that forms between a human and his/her dog. It’s hard to describe, but you’ve done a wonderful job reminding me of its existence. I am sorry that you lost Emmett. I’m sure he’d want you ton continue swimming, properly supervised.
thanks so much for sharing this story as part of this blogfest.
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Thanks, Dan 🙂 My other fur babies believe I should be under constant supervision.
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I always wanted to take my guinea pigs to the beach, or maybe for an outing along a nice green riverbank. It’s not the way it works with guinea pigs, although I think one or two would have lovely a walk like that! I miss them (and they are my Cherished post this year).
Do you know about the Ralph site? It’s for all bereaved pet slaves.
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Thanks, Jemima, I’ll check it out. I can totally see your guinea pigs taking a stroll next to a serene river 😉
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What a bittersweet memory you wrote here. I am not a swimmer, but I love dogs. Thank you for participating in the Cherished Blogfest.
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🙂
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Your dog would want you to swim, to be happy and cherish the good times.
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Thank you 🙂
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I wish I could swim…. 😊 And perhaps a family needs at least one dog as a member.
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Dogs make excellent family members — after they’ve been trained (or trained their humans).
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It’s true. It’s just sad when they leave… and they leave too quickly too often… I guess compared to humans.😊 You know how some people simply avoid love because they fear losing or getting hurt? Some people don’t have pets so they don’t have to lose them. It’s daft, I know. 🤗
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I totally get not having pets for fear of getting hurt — each time I have to bury a chicken in the orchard it tears me up inside. But the unconditional love pets have for their humans totally makes up for the scars of them leaving. Well, being in a good place right now I can say that. It was quite a different story in December… But that’s life 🙂
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You’re right. If we were to avoid everything that might just us, we won’t be living. I’m happy to hear you’re healing. Much love and hugs.
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Your story got to me, misty eyed. RIP, Emmet.
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Thank you 🙂
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This is a very moving post. Thank you for sharing Emmett with us at CBF.
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You’re welcome, Donna 🙂
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Such sweet memories of a good dog. I’m sorry for your loss, but am inspired to know that you cherish his memory. Also, what a cutie pie. I like the photo.
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Thank you 🙂
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I love swimming and I learn to swim to beat my sadness and the pool is something that attracts me, nice pictures and thank you for sharing!
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You’re welcome 🙂
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Wow, I’ve got tears in my eyes. I’m so sorry about your loss. What a wonderful picture of Emmet in the pool and such a lovely, cherished memory.
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Thanks, Ellen 🙂
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Oh this is such a sweet homage to your beloved dog. Mine died of cancer too but she was older. She never swam in the pool or anywhere else. You won’t believe me but my part lab part retriever didn’t like water. She was scared of it. Strange but true.
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Thanks, Evelyne 🙂 I’ve had dogs who viewed the swimming pool with a lot of distrust and refused to go into the water despite loving baths. I’m sorry about your dog.
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Thank you, Ronel.
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