"War Horse"

We went to the movies today to see War Horse.......... I expected a movie about a horse, which of course it was..... but all I could see when they showed a close-up of "Joey's" face was the expression in our dog Gracie's eyes when she looked up at my husband. Total loyalty, total devotion, total trust.

The movie was excellent.... wonderfully written, beautifully filmed.... some of the war scenes were hard to look at, and I had to close my eyes during a few parts here and there.... but that horse..... I was absolutely lost during the movie and nearly destroyed when it was over. Tissues came out of my pocket and as we were leaving, I had to hold onto the handrail on the way out because my eyes were still puddled up and filled with Gracie. At one point, my husband asked me what was wrong and it was all I could do to just whisper "Gracie...."

I cried on the day we had to put Gracie to sleep, but it was just a few tears of loss, not a flood of overwhelming sadness. This afternoon, watching that movie and seeing the expressions and feelings in that horse's eyes, everything that was good and kind and real and true about Gracie came front and center in my mind and wouldn't go away.

It's amazing to me what can trigger memories that you think are buried in dark corners of your mind. I cried for Gracie today, who has been 'gone' for a year and a half. We still miss her.... we still don't want to get another dog. "We've already had the best dog," says my husband... "How do you top that?"