This is who we really are. And this is what I will remember most at the end of my life. Moments like this. As much as I love (or love-hate) selfies on my own personal Instagram, sharing fun things, doing readings and dressing up – this is a rare glimpse of the moments that normally don’t make it onto social media.

Niney aka “Baby Buds” and I are both sleeping in this picture that David took yesterday afternoon. My little fur child is now over 18 and she has officially been with me longer on a day to day basis than any other living creature on this earth – longer than any other human or animal. I am someone who values long together-forever relationships, and this loyalty and love means more to me than I can express in this post.

When David took this picture, we had just come back from swimming at our favorite lake and the rain was falling from the sky. Thunder was shaking the house and the cool winds pushed through the heat wave. I put on a mix that I made for David Varlow when we first met. It’s called: “David Nightfall Chill”. Nina Simone. Van Morrison. Leonard Cohen. Chopin. The rainfall and the thunder accompanied the music. I held Niney in my arms and rocked her against me until her head cradled in the space between my neck and my shoulder. David sat across from us. We let the music and the sound of the storm fill the room as the sun was setting.
No computers. No distractions. Just us and a sleeping dog and the music and the rain and the glow of the end of a day. The room felt full with love. The curve of our old Victorian couch cradled me like the Spirits of my Ancestors. I felt Niney’s heart beating against my chest and my eyes started to close. Peaceful. Content. Happy. Safe. I sank into sleep.

I woke up when Niney moved to get out of my arms. The rain had stopped. She wanted to go outside. David was outside. “I passed out!” I said. And he showed me this picture he took of the two of us sleeping.

I was so grateful he captured that moment in time. A moment I wasn’t doing anything but sleeping and holding onto the creature I love so very much who has been with me the longest in this life. Blissful and safe in each other’s arms.