Another dear friend lost a companion recently. Her death reminded me of how love and loss go hand in hand. How we can love so fiercely and feel such incredible pain when they leave us.
Yet, we would make no other choice.
Over the years, I have photographed many of these beloved beings. I share some of them here.
They do indeed, leave paw prints in the heart.
Mary Oliver, one of my favorite poets, expressed her grief in a poem. I share it here.
The First Time Percy Came Back
The first time Percy came back
he was not sailing on a cloud,
he was loping along the sand
as though he had come a great way
“Percy” I cried out
and reached to him,
those white curls,
but he was unreachable
as music is present
yet you can’t touch it
“Yes, it’s all different” he said
“You’re going to be very surprised.”
but I wasn’t thinking of that,
I only wanted to hold him.
“Listen” he said “I miss that too”
but now you’ll be telling stories
of my coming back
And they won’t be false,
and they won’t be true
but they’ll be real.
And then, as he used to
he said, “Let’s go!”
and we
walked down the beach
together.
My love goes to each of you who have walked with and loved so deeply.
Stories & Pictures 
Thank you for your priceless, and precious gift. Through your camera lens you seem to have captured the whole of a life well lived and well loved, and all within one single and specific moment in time. A memory, that will remain alive well beyond physical death. 💔❤️🙏✨️
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Thank you. I was so happy to have shared that afternoon with the two of you – Love – Lilibet
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I, too, am a Mary Oliver fan. Thank you for that. The photo of a golden near the bottom was SO similar to our Baron and Princess when we had them.Such wonderful dogs, and parents of several litters to the joy of others. You certainly have a gift of animal photography. Love, T.
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Thank you, T, you can’t beat a Golden for deep love – Love E
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What a tribute, Elizabeth.
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Thank you, they are all incredible beings -Love E
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Dog love is so pure…and so uncomplicated compared to human love. I love how your work captures that purity and innocence at all the stages of life.
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Thank you, dear friend – Love E
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So beautiful! Big tears here! Those of us who have known the unconditional love of dear four-leggeds understand this place only so well! I truly think they are angels in disguise.
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Thank you, sweet friend – Love E
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