Michael Burke

I've been there.

It's like, we know technically, like, okay, on paper, animals only live a certain amount of years, and so it's like we start to emotionally prepare ourselves for when that time comes, and that's stressful.

Often, you know, that can distract us from being present in the moment with them.

And so...

Something that I always encourage people to do, and I did this, was with my dog, Cooper.

I'll never forget when she was 15 and a half and she had lost her mobility.

Her back end was falling all the time.

She was incontinent.

I had towels and sheets everywhere on the house.

It was coming close.

I remember lying with her on the ground.

I was holding her and I was...

She was kissing me and I was kissing her.

And I really set an intention to really absorb the moment, that moment.

And I was talking to her and I was saying, I love you so much and we'll always be together.

And this wasn't right when I was about to put her down.

This was before.

But I said, I love you.

I'm absorbing this moment, this experience that we are sharing right now.

I am soaking it in.