Written Palette, Guest Blogger Mary McGrath’s article called The Comfort of a Dog: An Unexpected Gift from My Mother. This article was a finalist for a Maxwell Medallion Award in the 2017 Writing Competition sponsored by the Dog Writers Association of America. Mary received a Certificate of Nomination for excellence in the category of Short Fiction.
Here is an excerpt from the article The Comfort of a Dog: An Unexpected Gift from My Mother:
My mother died yesterday. The five stages of grief have not hit me yet, but I know they are coming. No one can prepare you for the death of a parent, especially your mother. It is a personal journey we all have to endure.
I spent the past 24 hours in a whirlwind of emotions and tasks. Like ice water being thrown in my face, the reality of her passing has assaulted me in unimaginable ways.
Our family elected to stay nearby, the overflow of relatives stayed at a modest motel in nearby Banning. The $50 a night hotel gave us all a handsome view of the freeway with a constant howl of the nearby trains. In emergencies, you do not much care where you stay, as long as you are nearby.
Tonight would be my mother’s viewing. Clothes had been meticulously selected, so that my mother resembled the beautiful woman she used to be. I awoke early that morning, and prepared for my usual morning walk. I began my journey in the haze of grief as I attempted to find some balance afforded by nature.