Heart Broken

I've travelled back east this month and visited my old home town ..

I drove past my old house that I'd sold about 10 years ago .. a big, beautiful turn of the century home in an exclusive neighborhood on the coast of Lake Erie - I loved that old house, and loved living in it ...

To my astonishment, I found the house standing vacant, and in a state of bad disrepair ..The lawn was over grown, and looked like it's stood empty for quite some time ... Seeing this broke my heart, and almost brought tears to my eyes...

I put years of my life, and a lot of love into restoring that beautiful old home .. It was a grand place with beautiful wood work, wall sized fire places, antique fixtures, etc.. I can't comprehend how anyone could not / would not care about it..

The old place sits about 90 feet off the road on 2.5 acres. It's surrounded by large old trees, and a once beautifully landscaped lawn which my old dog "Wolf" loved to play on ..

Wolf was a "rescue" and had a rough life before coming to me.. She was an amazing animal. Highly intelligent, fearless, fiercely loyal, and an exceptional guard dog. The old house was her home, and I know she was happy there. When she died, I spread her ash's over the grounds so she'd always be, and have her home ...

As I stood in the driveway looking at what time, and neglect had done to our beautiful old home, I suddenly sensed Wolf's presence..Maybe it was the light or my mind playing tricks but, I could swear I saw her running in the yard, and standing in the place where the driveway gates once stood ..That was Wolf's spot - She'd sit for hours by / guarding those old gates. Knowing she's still "on patrol" would not surprise me -

Maybe it was the many happy memories that created Wolf's presence or maybe her spirit is still on guard ..I don't know. Either way, it felt good to "see" her again.

I walked to where the old gates stood, and called her name .. I told her I loved her, and thanked her for the many years of love, companionship, and loyalty she'd given. I told her she'd done her job well but that it was time for her to go to Heaven, and guard God's Gates..

(I know this all sounds "crazy" but if you knew that old house, you'd know that other spirits occupied it also .. I too was a skeptic but after living there, I became a firm believer)

I drove away with a piece of my heart left behind...There's an old saying of "you can't go home again" and perhaps this is true in the physical World but in my heart, and minds eye, my old home is still beautiful, and a place filled with many happy, warm memories..This is the memory I prefer / choose to keep.

Farewell Wolfie girl...Rest in Peace -We will meet again on the Rainbow Bridge