When It's Time to Say Goodbye!

One phrase that everyone keep saying very often is that a dog is man’s best friend. This is very true with our Justine!
Photo Credit | @kevinjethro as posted at @gee_abad Instagram account

During the 2nd Semester of my 3rd Year at UP Diliman, I took up Speech 1 under Professor Leticia H. Tison. That was 32 years ago but I vividly remember standing in front of my classmates at that speech classroom in Palma Hall, known during our time as AS, the heart of the campus, delivering a speech that was very close to my heart. It was, for me, one of the best orations that I have ever delivered. 

"Gentlemen of the jury— 

The best friend a man has in the world may turn against him and become his enemy.  His son or daughter whom he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful.  Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors to their faith.  The money that a man has he may lose.  It flies from him perhaps when he needs it most. A man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action.  The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads.  The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is the dog. 

Gentlemen of the jury, a man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness.  He will sleep on the cold ground when the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he can be near his master’s side.  He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world.  He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains.  When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.  If fortune drives the master forth an outcast into the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him, to guard him against danger, to fight against his enemies.  And when the last scene of all comes, and death takes his master in its embrace and his body is laid in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws and his eyes sad but open, in alert watchfulness, faithful and true, even unto death."

During that speech, I didn't have to emote and fake my feelings and gestures because the words that came out of my mouth were words that sprung directly from my heart. 

I grew up in a family who love dogs. By fate, I married one who comes from a family of dog lovers rated to the highest degree. During our first year of marriage, she gifted me with a beautiful Japanese Spitz which became my companion in the shrimp farm that I managed. My pet dog didn't live long as she was run over in a vehicular accident in the farm. It was a difficult time for me and for the next 7 years, I opted not to be attached with dogs.

By 1996, we decided to adopt Rocky, a Terrier and Snowy, a Japanese Spitz, when their masters, a Singaporean missionary family, moved out of Bacolod City. Rocky and Snowy had puppies which Kevin and Gabrielle took care and didn't want to give out. So even with the limited subsistence we had during those times, we kept and sustained the puppies.  

"If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones." ~Luke 16:10

We always believed that the verse talked about talents, resources, responsibilities, friends, riches, etc. We held on to that promise with 4 strong (Me, my wife, Kevin and Gabrielle) Y-E-Ses and resounding Amens and Hallelujahs! But we never thought that it could also mean canine friends. Early in 1997, we welcomed to our family the quartet of Olive, a Maltese, Jessa and Justine, both Shih Tzus, and Puppy, a Terrier. The quartet was the "large ones" promised to us for our faithfulness with the little things. They were given to us by my sister-in-law who migrated to the US. The joy that the quartet brought to our home overcame the financial difficulties we were going through during those times. God was faithful to see us through - we had food on our table and the dogs had never gone hungry despite the rationed pelletized meals they had. The kids never missed their vaccines and so were the dogs. Everyone in the family got a chunk from our meager budget. There was one time that we were having 15 dogs in the house. A testimony of being blessed if we are faithful with the little things given to us! Yes, they had many puppies that we were able to sell and give out to friends.

Moving out with the pets to Cebu

In 2002, our family permanently moved from Bacolod City to Cebu City. Chloe was 2 years old at that time and she was with my wife who was already working in Cebu. So it was only Kevin, Gabrielle and myself plus the other "6 members of the family" who would be traveling by land and sea. We knew how difficult it was for us to do a successful relocation but we did! Our silver grey L200 DC pick-up prioritized us and the other 6 members of the family, bringing only limited personal effects for ourselves. At Cebu, we were faced with a big challenge of keeping all the 6 canine members of our family. It was a difficult decision for us to let go some of them but because we were to stay in a small apartment, Rocky was adopted by Papa to be with him in his farm in Bohol, Snowy became the companion of Mama, and Pappy was given to a good ole friend. We kept Olive, Jessa, and Justine with us. 

We moved from place to place. From the first apartment, we moved to a bigger apartment but after a month, we were flooded in the place so we again moved to a condo unit. When we moved in to the condo, we were again faced with a big decision of whether to keep the trio with us or not. There wasn't a choice for us because pets were not allowed. After a thorough deliberation and voting, we decided to temporarily have Olive and Jessa adopted by a friend and my sister-in-law but sneaked in Justine with us. We would hide Justine in our unit and begged him not to bark so we will not get caught. After sometime, our landlady allowed us to keep Justine. Justine would just visit them for short honeymoons. During this period, Olive went home ahead to pet heaven when she succumbed to death while giving birth to Justine's progeny. 

In 2004, I left for Saudi Arabia and after a few months, my family moved to a big apartment and Jessa and Justine were reunited. However, Jessa didn't live long as she also succumbed to her death during puppy-birth. Justin became a widower in 2005. He lost two wives and it happened one after the other. We observed him to have a deep loneliness at first and we would often  joke that if only he can talk, he would probably say: "I am alone now and I know it's difficult but I wanna go back to the time when we were three." 

When we finally moved to our own place in 2005, Justine became the center of attraction of everyone in the subdivision. There were only a few neighbors at that time and Justine became the bridge that started friendly conversation with our new neighbors. Our kids made friends in the neighborhood because of Justine. He was more popular than my kids. That grief and loneliness of being a widower returned back to normal. Although the most popular in the neighborhood, he didn't have any serious relationships with the "bitches" (Old English "bicche" used to call a female dog). He enjoyed playing with the other canines when neighbors would take them out for their daily walk. Small he may be, he would arrogantly bark and chase bigger dogs and sires whom he see as threat to his popularity with the bitches. However, there was one time when he fought with a big dog in Camella Village and the big dog not minding how small Justine was, bit him and dragged him causing the kids and the helpers to run to the rescues. 

He was not only popular in the neighborhood, he was the apple of the family's eyes. He was always the center of attraction during family gatherings. He would often be mistaken as a rug when he lies flat on the floor. He would scratch our door to wake us up when its time for him to walk around. He would sit on the lap of the kids while they were studying or watching TV. He will always be at the doorstep waiting for us and welcoming us home. When Kevin arrived at home after spending several months in the US last time, Justine climbed up to him, wept, and placed his head in the armpit of Kevin and later on smelling it like an aroma. Justine would always stay near the feet of my wife when she was home working and making decisions. Though I don't often see him, he knows me very well and will always welcome me and become my shadow while I'm at home.  He was a very gentle and kind dog and handsome, too. He wasn't bossy and demanding but he will always make a person feel so wanted.

As the years have gone by, his age started to take a toll on his once energetic and healthy body. A couple of years back his eyes began to cloud and he developed cataracts. He was going deaf and often had trouble jumping up on the bed. His skin became very dry and he had to have medicated baths. He was given gourmet dog food to keep him healthy and had his regular visits to the vet for his check up and grooming. During my last vist at home last May, he was already blind. My wife would tell me to give time to him as he was not going to live long anymore. I had a hard time talking to him because every time I see him, I was afraid to face the truth of losing him soon. I was always teary-eyed talking to him. He was a witness to everything! If only he can talk, he can tell you of our struggles and our victories, our failures and our successes, our conflicts at home and our unity and harmony. He can tell you of our dreams and plans. He has seen the family throughout its worst and best times. Before I flew back to the desert, I rubbed his head and I was sure that he can't hear me anymore. But I was able to lean over to him and whispered to him that I love him and that I thanked him for the many wonderful years he has been with us.

In October 4, my wife brought Justine to his vet after which she told us to brace ourselves up for something devastating that is going to happen to Justine. The vet said that Justine will not be with us for long now because of old age.

Yesterday, Sunday - October 25, 2015, we had to say goodbye to Justine. Letting him go was hard, but it was the best for him to fell asleep for the last time. 

Justine will always be loved and missed by everyone in the family.  He has left us all with tears and hearts full of memories which we will always cherish. We are so thankful that we've had him in our lifetime.

By the way Justine, I read once again yesterday the speech that I delivered 32 years ago, and this time, it was for you!

Rest in peace in doggy-heaven! You will be missed by all!

Justin lived with us for 18 years. older by 3 years than our youngest, Chloe.

If you own a dog, you've probably heard this rule: 1 year equals 7 years. Turns out, the math isn't that simple.
Size and breed also play a role. Smaller dogs tend to live longer than larger ones
Using a Dog Age Calculator, if Justine was a human, he would be 88 years old today.

Some memories we have with Justine.

Justin was always there to welcome us. This photo was taken in December 2011 upon my arrival from Jeddah.

Even before Alden and Yaya Dub had their virtual courting, Justine and Rossi (my Persian Cat here in the desert) had their own version of "pabebe online affair wave" as early as March 9, 2012.

Gabrielle giving a hug to Justine as he welcomes her home!

Gabrielle's goodbye post for Justine

Kevin's heartbreaking goodbye to Justine

Plans to have Justine cremated were already in place but because it was a Sunday, there was no crematory services.
He was finally laid to rest in our Brookfield garden beside Kevin's room

______________________________

*The above speech was by George Graham Vest (1830-1904) who served as a U.S. Senator from Missouri from 1879 to 1903. He was one of the leading orators and debaters of his time. The speech is from an earlier period in his life when he practiced law in a small Missouri town. It was given in court while representing a man who sued another for the killing of his dog. During the trial, Vest ignored the testimony, and when his turn came to present a summation to the jury, he made the above speech and won the case.

Denali - a tribute to man's best friend

Here's a touvhing film about the bond between Denali the dog and adventure photographer Ben Moon. A film by Ben Knight, Skip Armstrong and Ben Moon. 

There's no easy way to say goodbye to a friend, especially when they've supported you through your darkest times.