Wednesday, April 13, 2011
I first met Madeline nine years ago while walking with my dog at the old Colonie Town Park. We had just adopted our rescue dog, Aodhan and he was terrified of people and dogs alike. It was a real challenge at first to even get him out of the car to walk and whenever we met anyone he hid behind me and shook all over. Until we met Madeline. The first time we saw her he ran up to her with his tail wagging as if he had known and loved her forever. I held my breath, hoping she was okay with dogs. Not to worry. She greeted him like a long lost friend and that day was the first of many pleasant walks. I learned that her husband was battling cancer and I greatly admired her courage and determination to maintain her health so she could be a supportive caregiver to him, a daunting task at any age. She was always pleasant and upbeat even when I suspected the responsibilities she carried weighed greatly. After several years we no longer saw our friend and wondered if her own health might be failing. They say that animals have a sixth sense and know a good soul when they meet one. I'm sure Aodhan sensed that in Madeline so many years ago. Please accept my deepest condolences on your loss.
