Goodbye Old Friend

I debated whether or not to write this post for a while. There are some things that are meant to be kept to oneself and to be kept private, and things that aren't interesting to all the people who read our blog. Over the past year Shannon and I have gone through the trial of losing loved ones while living far away. Our distance kept us from being able to say our final goodbyes in a way that was gut wrenching for both of us. I say this now only to highlight the sort of events are meant to be dealt with on a private level, or with family only instead of publishing on the internet. However, the flip side of that token is that one of our primary uses of this blog is to capture our lives as we travel abroad like a time capsule. I want to read this one day and experience the same sorrows and joys that I am feeling at this time because it all makes up our lives as we are living them. What's a time capsule without realism? To remember only the exciting, fun, or convenient is to do a disservice to ourselves and anyone who happens to read this blog. That's why I decided ultimately to share some of our most recent experiences on the blog.

A week ago, our dog, a member of our family, and one of my best friends in the world, Howie, died of a traumatic and sudden cause. I adopted Howie at a pet shelter in NJ in 2005 and have had him ever since. You will recall if you've been keeping up with this blog that moving to Ecuador without Howie was never an option. He was a main part of my life, and the only constant from the time I was 18 until last week. He was by my side playing, walking, and guarding my house when it was a small apartment in a bad neighborhood in NJ, then a nicer area in Florida, then a house with a yard when my house became our house and he and I moved in with Shannon, and ultimately here in Ecuador. He was a part of our family and he will be missed.

I will save some details and feelings for myself but mention this. Howie was an incredible dog whose kind spirit, obedience, loyalty, and playful nature will not be forgotten. He was by my side when I was a punk teenager making my way through college, feeling out my career, and then when I found Shannon and we embraced this lifestyle of nomadic adventure. He was an omnipresent figure in my life and in our family. I will always be thankful for the way he taught me responsibility and unselfishness as a young man and Shannon and I will always cherish the memories we all had together.

Few people know the joys of having a dog, but those who do truly understand that they heighten everything in your life. The feeling of coming home after a long day and seeing the eyes of a dog glaring up at you excited by your mere presence is unmatched by almost anything in this world. Dogs bring great joy, companionship, and stabilizing calmness to the lives of anyone they are around. But their loss often exemplifies the worst a person can feel.

Howie lived a good life. He played on the Pacific beaches of coastal Ecuador, ran around in the mountainous parks of Quito, sunbathed beneath palm trees in Florida, and ran around on the streets of New Jersey. Thank you to Meagan, Candy, Tom, Ellen, Bethany, and any and everyone who helped us bring him to Ecuador when we moved. It was not an easy task. A special thank you goes to Howie for completing our family and for all the memories. Good bye my old friend.

R.I.P. Howie 2004-2015