Nick

Likely this will be my final post on Nick.  About three weeks ago, on a Sunday, he was here , and then suddenly, he was gone.  Nick never left the immediate perimeter of the house.  He did not chase cars.  He did not take the morning 'walkabout' with Nana and Bailey.  He stayed faithfully, steadfastly sitting on the porch, waiting for the door to open.

He was still in recovery from malnutrition, but had so much goofy energy and good spirits... he was really the life of the party, regardless of what was going on.

Just when we had worked out most of the kinks... and gotten used to the incredible energy of a happy boxer... he was suddenly gone.

We walked the property... we searched the road and ditches.  We carried the 'girls' in hopes that they would lead us to him.  We called and called and looked high and low. 

I feel like the story of Nick both begin and ended with a stranger, which causes my heart to ache.

I feel that he was taken.  Nick was a friendly soul ... it wouldn't have taken very much to entice him into a car.

It is so quiet and still now.  I take my coffee to the porch and there is no boxer attack on my person.

There is only Nana, a big, gentle 'footstool' and sometimes Bailey, with her sideways wiggle and grin.

The loss of Nick came at a time of soul searching for me anyway... and I'm not sure yet, exactly how I feel about it.  So much time and effort... so much work and general upset... for 4 months.  I know for a fact that we 'saved' Nick's life in January... but I have to wonder why?  Why would we go through all of that, to not have him in the end?  If Nick was stolen, as I believe he was, was he taken by someone who will care for him and love him, or was he taken by someone like the person who left him here, emaciated and ill?
Was it worth it?

Life on the farm is full of comings and goings... and animals enrich our lives and protect us while we're here, just as we do for them.  Some come for a long time and are with us for years and some are only here for a short while.  It is never easy to lose one, but it's so much harder when you simply do not know where they are.