A sad realization

Every morning,before the others are up, Lex and I have taken a walk, just the two of us, along this side of the house, down the fenceline to the street,

 across the yard to the driveway, and back up to this part of the yard.  We don't do much else than walk slowly along, but it's been a sweet time for me with him.

And this morning as we were walking, I realized that it was the last time, for a long time, that I would get to do this.  We won't get to hold hands and listen to the rooster crow, the horses whinny, and the squirrels chatter.  We won't get to point out where the sunlight dances on the ground, or the tree roots stick out of the ground like gnarled fingers.  Even with this bittersweet thought, I remembered that the good thing was that I did get this time with him, even though it only lasted a few days, I did get to show him how sunlight dances, what unripened pecan shells look like, how the dirt here is red and not brown or black.  I did get him all to myself in the peaceful morning quiet.  And that changes it all back to sweet and wonderful, just like him.