❤️ For 19 beautiful years, he was more than just my dog — he was my best friend, my family, my loyal companion through every chapter of life. His name was Schoep, and though age and arthritis slowly stole his strength, his spirit never left me.

💧 The water was the only place where his pain would ease, where his tired body could finally rest. So each day, I carried him gently to the lake. I stood still, holding him close in my arms, while he drifted into a peaceful sleep, free from suffering — if only for a while.

🤲 I knew I couldn’t take his pain away, but I could give him something greater: my presence, my tenderness, my unwavering love. And so I stayed. Through the silence. Through the tears. Through the ache of knowing our time was short.

🌅 Because when you truly love, you don’t walk away. You stay — until the very last moment. And that is where love becomes eternal.

~ John