Seraphina Ruth

Seraphina entered my life when I was just eight years old. On the day of her arrival, I ran home from the bus stop as fast as I could to meet her. She was still so small, only a couple months old. As an adult she would still be considered on the small side for a rottweiler, carrying a petite build with only ninety pounds on her. But on this day, she was so small I could pick her up and hold her in my arms. My sisters and I all sat on the floor to play with her and get to know her, but all the excitement quickly wore her out. As I sat on the hard floor with my legs crossed, she crawled right into my lap and fell asleep. I was so taken with her, with how she already trusted me enough to sleep soundly on my legs. What was I to do? I had homework and chores to get done, but this little ball of fur had felt safe enough with me to get some rest. So I sat there, occasionally petting her when her dreams seemed to tense. I couldn’t tell you how long I sat there, but it was long enough that when we finally arose from the floor, I could not feel my legs. Over her nine years of life, we would have many more nights like this. When life was too much for me, when the day was too long for her–we would comfort each other and make one another feel safe.

Sera loved reading time. Everyone in my family has always loved to read–my mom and I especially. We would get comfortable in bed or on the couch with a book in one hand and a coffee in the other, and sera knew just what time it was. My mom and I have always had the innate ability to read for hours at a time–seraphina came to know this as a prime time for snuggling. And just as she did on the first night, she would fall asleep on our laps and stay there until we were done. I often would read aloud to her as it always seemed to give her a deep, peaceful rest. It would always make me smile how excited she would get when I walked in the room with a book in hand. Even now, when I settle down for the night to read, I can still picture her head on my lap or her breathing against my legs. Life isn’t the same without her, and it never will be, but she still finds ways to make me smile every single day.

She stayed heartily by my side almost every day of her life. When I would go away for any period of time, my thoughts were always on her–hoping she was okay without me. In college, I would often call home under the pretense of checking in on my family–though most everyone knew I was checking in on Sera. Whether she had done it on purpose or just by coincidence, Seraphina had bonded us together on that first night. She was brought home to be a family dog, but ask anyone and they'll tell you she was mine. And now, nearly ten years after saying our goodbyes, I still think of her often. Sometimes I still feel her watching me, guarding me. Sometimes, during a dark night, I will dream of her and that will give me a little peace. Though she has moved on, she will always have a special spot in my heart–my best friend, Seraphina.