A Letter to Pippi

Dear Pippi,

I will never forget the first time I saw you. You were a curled-up ball of fur, squeezed into the back corner of a kennel, your white teeth showing in what we would later realize was a smile, rather than a sign of aggression. When we tried to get close to you with a collar or leash, you shrunk even further back into the kennel and turned your head away. We decided to let you settle in for another day before pushing you even further, so we gave you food and water and left you alone to decompress and try again the next morning.

The next morning was no different though. You still turned your head in avoidance, but we knew we needed to get you outside. After hours of coaxing with the most delicious treats, we finally had a leash around your neck. It took us another hour to guide you down the 30 foot-long isle to the door, but by the time we got to the end, we knew we had made as much progress for the day as we could. We put you back in the kennel for another night to come out of your shell.

The next morning, I carried you into the shelter’s indoor play area and that was the first day I started to see the true Pippi that was buried deep down inside of you. You found a giant stuffed animal, half your size and carried it around the room, head held high and tail wagging. When you were done playing, you even allowed me to brush your matted coat. It was on this third day that we brought you home with the expectation of further bringing you out of your shell so we could find you a forever home. You were only ever supposed to be a temporary foster, but you had other plans.

The bond you formed with Amelia was almost instant, inseparable from the beginning. You slowly blossomed into a perfect dog. After a month, we are able to take you on slow walks. You would approach us in excitement. You showed us your pretty smile that everyone came to know you for. After three months, you were finally ready for adoption, but I couldn’t give you up. The thought of someone else calling you “theirs” was not a thought I could bare, so I adopted you myself.

You and Amelia were with me during so many highs and lows. It was because of you that I started to love photography. It was because of you that I got off the couch every weekend. It was you that got me through some very trying times after college. It was because of you that I made a connection that landed me a job. It was because of you that we traveled across the country, pushing me so far out of my comfort zone. It was because of you that I have met so many other like-minded people that I now call friends. Everything good in my life, I owe to you and Amelia.

Now that you are gone, I feel a hole in my heart. Your collars hang on the wall, untouched and clean, no speckles of fresh mud like usual. When I go on walks with Amelia, I have an empty hand where your leash belongs. Your presence is so dearly missed.

My biggest fear now though is forgetting every detail of your life, forgetting everything you gave me, and every moment we had together. I won’t let that happen though. Every day, you will live on in my life. Every adventure Amelia and I go on, you will be there in spirit. We will never forget you or what you gave us. I will always keep you in my heart, so you will never really be gone.

Pippi, thank you for everything. You gave me so much more than just companionship, and I will always owe you the world for that. I will always love you.

Love,

Tori