Day 687

This boy is desperate to be with me every moment of the day. His attachment is endearing, but we need to work on more acceptable reactions to any separation. When I return home after an hour or two, he cries and grabs my sleeve so I can't get away. Poor baby!

Being separated from loved ones is never easy. There are certainly strategies and tricks to make it better, but it is still a challenge. Staying busy, sending gift packages/cards and connecting through technology are helpful, but those tricks don't replace a warm hug.

We have friends in many far-away places and family members who live across the country. Although they remain close to our hearts, it is still difficult to be such a distance from those hugs.

At least our humans can understand the separate paths we walk. Dogs, on the other paw, seem to believe that each time you leave, you are NEVER RETURNING! Hence, Sam's desperate love attacks when we walk through the door.

Our Sammy is a work in progress. He will eventually calm down so our windows and doors are safe from damage. So, we train the dogs and train our hearts to be strong during separations. Reunions are precious (sometimes desperately so) and cherished. In the long run; it's all about love. We long to be together, even though that's not always possible. Some dreams take us far from home. The answer, beyond the strategies to soothe the separation...love from afar until you can give that hug!