Ruby 1999-2013

I have written over four and a half lakh words in this blog over the last seven and a half years. And yet, I find I don't have the right words to describe what I'm feeling within my heart.

Ruby was put to sleep today after suffering complications related to her advancing age. We prayed for a miracle that never came. From her part, she too showed her love and resolve till the end. Even with no food or water within her stomach for nearly a week, she still stumbled and climbed up the stairs to sleep for a last time upstairs for a few hours as was her routine all these years. She still found the strength in her to accompany my mom for one last walk across the entire compound of the house to make sure there were no intruders who could harm us.
I want to say what's in my heart, but you wouldn't get it... how hard it is just to write just this much. You wouldn't understand why this is the end of an era for me and my family. She was the first dog born in our house, the last in a family tree in our house that dates back to her father's arrival in 1995. In a lifetime that has seen many wild animals disguised as human beings, she was the one constant in our lives that showed us that God still knew to put compassion in his creations. 

Perhaps I can't find the words to describe my pain but I do have words to describe the moments of happiness she has brought into my life: words strung together across seven years of blogposts. And I would like to share them with you one final time.

1. (2006) Dogyears @ Godyears
2. (2006) Take a Bow
3. (2007) The Trial of Ruby
4. (2009) Dog wars
5. (2010) Of old dogs and wild hogs
6. (2011) Two of my favourites
7. (2012) It's a dog's world

Carry on, Ruby. You've done your bit here. Now it's time for Heaven to become a little brighter with your antics. Starting tomorrow, it's God's turn to stand by your side and feed you the first drops of milk with his hands every morning.