Cronch the leaves

This is my dog's fourteenth autumn. It will likely be his last.

This isn't a sad story, I promise. Fourteen years is an incredible amount of time for a Weimaraner, and honestly, Holden is still active and happy, which is all I care about. That said, his age is starting to show more and more. He's on three different medicines to manage pain, inflammation, and some issues connected to his liver. Last week, he had an ultrasound because of yet another cancer scare, but it seems, for now, he's avoided the worst. But his back legs are getting weaker, and he's begun struggling on longer walks and avoids stairs as often as possible.

That said, goodness gracious, does he love cronching autumn leaves. The first half of November in Northeast Ohio has been gorgeous. Mild, dry weather means plenty of time for pup walks. And we have taken as many of them as he feels up to. I have watched Holden trundle through piles of leaves for fourteen straight autumns, sniffing to his heart's content.

If you're picturing those viral videos where puppies leap into a leaf pile and disappear entirely, then you're picturing the wrong thing. Holden is deliberate. Almost calculated. He walks along our neighborhood's tree lawns, wading into every newly raked pile, and buries his head around in search of who knows what.

Autumn walks take twice as long, and we often go half the distance. It doesn't matter. He's happy. And so I am content.

Autumn has always been my favorite time of year, and the sound of leaves crunching under my shoes (and his paws) will forever bring about waves of nostalgia that I gave up fighting long ago. I let it wash over me. Together, we cronch the leaves.

You see, Holden doesn't know he's old. He doesn't understand he's sick. All he wants to do is smell all the endless smells that these wonderful piles have to offer. I'm a person who struggles to slow down. I don't know how to relax. It kills me to sit still. What does bring me inner peace, however, is watching my best friend get chest-deep in his favorite thing.

Soon, the city trucks will come by and take the leaf piles away. I'm sure it's a day many people find joy in. Their yards no longer look cluttered, which will likely bring some satisfaction, given how much time they spent moving all those leaves around.

Me? I'll almost certainly cry. Because it will be the final time my best friend gets to experience what has been his greatest happiness in all these many years.

My life has changed immeasurably recently. But just as I can always count on the changing weather and autumn's arrival, I could also rely on my best friend to be by my side when those leaves start falling.

I don't know what I'll do next year when he's not around to share that moment with me. I'll cross that bridge when it arrives. For now, we're going for a walk. There are leaves to cronch, and I wouldn't miss that for the world.