{"id":309,"date":"2015-01-18T22:57:40","date_gmt":"2015-01-19T04:57:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/?page_id=309"},"modified":"2015-03-05T22:56:51","modified_gmt":"2015-03-06T04:56:51","slug":"wiley-a-tribute","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/?page_id=309","title":{"rendered":"Wiley – A Tribute"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Memory of<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0“Wiley” <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0December 1999 – January 16, 2015<\/span><\/p>\n

\"WileyWoods\"<\/a>

You on your last afternoon – this is how I choose to remember you…in the woods and in your element.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Until<\/p>\n

\"Date\"<\/p>\n

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\"Wiley\"<\/p>\n

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\u00a0<\/span>A<\/strong><\/span>s I write this, I\u2019m still filled with so much sadness.\u00a0 Yesterday was one of the hardest days of my life.\u00a0 I know that it was hard for you too; I saw it in your eyes when you looked up at me.\u00a0 Your fur was wet with my tears.\u00a0 You see, yesterday was the day we had to say goodbye after 15 years of being a part of each other\u2019s lives.\u00a0 I know that some people will think I\u2019m silly for writing this to you because you were just a dog.\u00a0 Dogs get old and die.\u00a0 They can\u2019t even read paragraphs or understand words.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Wiley looking into the sun…January 16, 2015<\/p><\/div>\n

They don\u2019t even have a strong concept of time, of the passing months and years and of aging.\u00a0 But you know what?\u00a0 I don\u2019t really care what people say or think, and I\u2019m writing this more for myself than anyone else.\u00a0 Writing this will help me work through my grief and process my thoughts which are now a jumbled mess in my head.\u00a0 Dogs get old and they die.\u00a0 That\u2019s a fact of life, and we have to accept it whether or not we want to.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

You will always be my little buddy….<\/p><\/div>\n

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\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Maybe I am silly for writing this, but you were such a huge part of my life for so many years.\u00a0 I have shed many tears for you over the past week; most of them in private. \u00a0So many different emotions have flooded through me this past week.\u00a0 My heart still aches as I write this, but I need to get my thoughts written down while the pain of losing you is still fresh in my memory.\u00a0 Even now as I look back at the pictures I took during our final day together, I feel the tears coming, and the stabs of pain rush forth anew.\u00a0 Time will take care of that for it heals all wounds.\u00a0 One day I\u2019ll be able to look at your pictures, and there will be no sadness.\u00a0 There will be only a fond memory of the wonderful dog you were and much gratitude for having been blessed with 15 years with you.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0It seems just like yesterday that you were the small, wiggling 6 week old pup that I brought home from the animal shelter.\u00a0 You brought so much joy into our family during those early months.\u00a0 The first time that my mother laid eyes on you, she immediately declared that you were the ugliest puppy that she\u2019d ever seen!\u00a0 But you know what?\u00a0 You quickly warmed her over and won a special spot deep in her heart for 15 years.\u00a0 She\u2019s really sad too.\u00a0 We all are.\u00a0 I remember the first time you met Denise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Stephen, Denise, Wiley. Circa Fall 2003. Bastrop, Louisiana<\/p><\/div>\n

You didn\u2019t really care for her very much.\u00a0 It\u2019s almost like you knew that she would soon become a huge part of my life and eventually my wife, but that\u2019s ok.\u00a0 You quickly warmed up, and you two had your own special relationship.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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In the woods…January 16, 2015<\/p><\/div>\n

I guess in my mind you were always invincible.\u00a0 You were strong and courageous; I was sure that you would always be a part of me, but you got old.\u00a0 I just didn\u2019t see it right away.\u00a0 These past 8 months have been a challenge for all of us.\u00a0 I\u2019m glad you were able to finish out your 14th<\/sup> year with dignity and reach that special 15th<\/sup> milestone in December.\u00a0 You will never know how hard this past week was for all of us.\u00a0 Watching\u00a0 you decline so quickly was heartbreaking, and it forced me to make a decision that I had prayed every day that I would not have to make.\u00a0 But you\u2019re not hurting anymore.\u00a0 You\u2019re not in pain.\u00a0 I choose to think you\u2019re off running\u00a0and chasing after something somewhere deep in the woods; your youthfulness and vigor having been restored once more.\u00a0 I\u2019m grateful that we were able to spend your final hours that last Friday afternoon together in the woods once again.\u00a0 You always loved being in the woods as much as I do.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Saying goodbye was so hard on Friday, but I stayed with you until the end.\u00a0 It was the least I could do for you after you gave us the best years of your life.\u00a0 Your vet, Dr. Gill, was gracious and compassionate at the end.\u00a0 He is truly a good man.\u00a0 I hope you found just a small measure of comfort in knowing that Denise and I were there with you at the end.\u00a0 How appropriate it was that we buried you in the sunset of a winter\u2019s day, as the sun set in your own life.\u00a0 The spot we chose for you on the family homestead in the country has an amazing view of the sunsets in the west and of the beautiful starry sky at night.\u00a0 I thank God for the beautiful picture that he painted for us in the sky that evening as we buried you and said goodbye.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

I thank God for giving us this beautiful painting in the sky as we laid you to rest…it was a reminder to us of the beauty and frailness of life…it is quickly vanishing just like the sunset did that evening.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0That was truly special.\u00a0 Your two brothers, Opie and Oliver, miss you too.\u00a0 They will help all of us work through the pain of losing you.\u00a0 It\u2019s good that we have them, and they are much comfort to us.\u00a0 But there\u2019s still a piece of my heart that you occupied and took with you when you left.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0You see\u2026people and animals\u00a0come into our lives and they claim a part of our hearts as we grow to love them.\u00a0 And when they leave, they take a piece of it with them; a piece that will never ever be there again.\u00a0 Your piece of my heart is gone, Wiley.\u00a0 But I cling to the memories of the good times that we had, and then I just smile.\u00a0 There\u2019s a quote I read recently which says \u201cuntil one has loved an animal, a part of one\u2019s soul remains un-awakened.\u201d\u00a0 Thank you for being the dog who woke that part of my soul, for being the one who taught me what it was like to have a dog that loved me unconditionally.\u00a0 You were a part of some of the loneliest years of my life during those early years, and you helped me get through learning to live on my own and being alone.\u00a0 All those times I came home to a dark place\u00a0at night \u2013 I knew you would be there with your wagging tail and comforting presence.\u00a0 I thank God that he gave me a compassionate soul and heart that had the capacity to love you back so deeply.\u00a0 Many people don\u2019t have that.\u00a0 I\u2019m one of the lucky ones who do.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0As I lay in bed Friday night on the eve of your passing, I remembered a short piece that I\u2019d written back in 2002 during your 3rd<\/sup> year with me.\u00a0 I searched through the archives on my computer Saturday morning and found it.\u00a0 It\u2019s your story, Wiley.\u00a0 I chose to leave the punctuation and words exactly as I penned them back in 2002, and I didn\u2019t change a thing.\u00a0 It was written at a much earlier point in my life.\u00a0 I was much younger.\u00a0 We both were.\u00a0 I can\u2019t think of a better way to end your tribute than by sharing your story.\u00a0 Goodbye, Wiley.\u00a0 I will always love you, and I will always miss you.\u00a0 However small it may be, a part of me is gone.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Always<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/a>

I will always love you…<\/p><\/div>\n

\u00a0****** Originally written on Saturday, October 26, 2002 12:49PM ******<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

A Love That Transcends Language<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

“Wiley\u2019s Story\u201d<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

By:\u00a0 Stephen Coleman<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Here on earth, one of the greatest gifts known to humans is love.\u00a0 For to love, and to be loved in return is a priceless treasure.\u00a0 There are many types of love.\u00a0 One of these, is a dog\u2019s love.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I met Wiley in February of 2000.\u00a0 I was an employee at the former Forrest County Humane Society, and he was a homeless pup 6 weeks of age.\u00a0 Wiley was born sometime in December of 1999.\u00a0 In February of 2000, he was found by the Hattiesburg Animal Warden abandoned in a McDonald\u2019s parking lot in Hattiesburg.\u00a0 He was found alone, with no mother, brothers, or sisters.\u00a0 When he arrived at the FCHS, he was so clean, shiny, and healthy, and I loved him from the first moment I saw him.\u00a0 No one could figure out what breed he was, not even the vet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Wiley had been at the animal shelter for several weeks when an outbreak of parvo, a deadly and very contagious disease, began to strike the puppies.\u00a0 Not wanting Wiley to become a parvo victim, I agreed to take him home for a couple of days until the situation was under control.\u00a0 While he was at my house, he quickly worked his way into my life, and into my heart.\u00a0 I was a freshman in college, and my parents were planning on moving to the northern part of Louisiana in June of 2000.\u00a0 Not knowing what my housing situation would be like, I was reluctant to adopt him.\u00a0 So I knew I had to return him to the animal shelter to try to find him a good home.\u00a0 Wiley went back, and stayed there for another 4 weeks.\u00a0 Every day, when I\u2019d arrive at work, those warm brown eyes would light up when he saw me, and his tail would start wagging so furiously, I thought it would surely fly off!\u00a0 The days went by and no one claimed him.\u00a0 Finally, I couldn\u2019t stand it any longer.\u00a0 In April of 2000, I officially adopted Wiley and he became my buddy for life.\u00a0 He was named for Wile E. Coyote on the \u201cRoadrunner\u201d cartoons, since he is brindle colored, and bears a remarkable resemblance to a coyote, a baby one at that, since he\u2019s a small dog who weighs in at around 16 lbs.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0After my parents moved away, I lived with some friends in rural Perry County for several months.\u00a0 Wiley grew to love the outdoors and he constantly ran, played, chased rabbits, swam in the pond, and explored in the woods.\u00a0 Every where I went, he constantly tagged along, like a stealthy shadow, and he was my constant companion.\u00a0 In December of 2000, I moved back to my hometown of Petal, to live on my own.\u00a0 Wiley moved with me, and still lives with me to this day.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Wiley is my constant companion.\u00a0 In the summers, he delights swimming alongside me in the Okatoma Creek, or going to the lake and futilely chasing\u00a0 the minnows through the sandy shallow waters.\u00a0 We have made countless trips to Louisiana together, and never have I seen a dog who loves traveling as much as Wiley.\u00a0 As soon as I open the car door, he jumps on the seat, curls up in a ball, and goes to sleep.\u00a0 With all of my family scattered out in northern Mississippi, and my parents in Louisiana, frequent road trips are a common thing for me, and needless to say, I think Wiley looks forward to these trips more than I do!<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0At night, Wiley jumps in my bed, gives me a glance, then curls up in a ball at my feet.\u00a0 Sometimes, during the night though, he moves and burrows right next to me, as close as he can get.\u00a0 When I wake up in the mornings, he will be curled up with his head resting on me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0A dog\u2019s love is unconditional.\u00a0 They don\u2019t judge, or care what you\u2019ve done.\u00a0 They love you no matter what.\u00a0 No matter how bad my day has been, or what has happened in my life, I am comforted by the knowledge that Wiley will be at home waiting for me, like a bright light at the end of a long dark tunnel.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Yes, love truly comes in many forms.\u00a0 Sometimes it even comes in the form of an ugly puppy at the animal shelter.\u00a0 I truly believe that dogs can feel love too, though perhaps in a different way from us humans.\u00a0 Each night before we go to sleep, I call out \u201cgood night old boy, I love you\u201d.\u00a0 And as I lay there in the darkness, I know in my heart, that love transcends language and though he can\u2019t speak, Wiley loves me too.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Summer 2003. Bastrop, LA.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

At home in Clinton, MS. Circa 2014 – summer.<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"\"<\/a>

My Three Boys – Circa 2013<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

You always did love to go on adventures with your brothers!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Me holding you on our last night together. You were just so tired and I think you knew the end was near. That was a special time for me to be able to hold you close.<\/p><\/div>\n

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\"\"<\/a>

At Lake Copiah – Circa 2001. Here you are in your element…you loved the outdoors so much!<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In Memory of \u00a0“Wiley” \u00a0December 1999 – January 16, 2015       \u00a0As I write this, I\u2019m still filled with so much sadness.\u00a0 Yesterday was one of the hardest days of my life.\u00a0 I know that it was hard … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-309","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/309"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=309"}],"version-history":[{"count":35,"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/309\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":411,"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/309\/revisions\/411"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}