Special Tribute: Herman

A special tribute written by his foster mom, Nancy. Our thoughts go out to Herman’s loving family, who gave him a new beginning for his final months.

Thank you Nancy and Herman’s family for sharing your life with sweet Herman.

For Herman 3,

I didn’t want to write this, but I owe it to you, pal.

Yesterday, when Muttville messaged me that you had passed away peacefully in your sleep, I thought about our 6 short months together. And with tears streaming down my cheeks, I said a Buddhist prayer of loving-kindness for you:

“May you be free from fear and danger,
May you be free from sorrow and pain,
May you find freedom,
May you find peace.”

I met you exactly a year ago this month.. I’d never had a dog before and you were my first foster dog from Muttville.

You were a 12 year old cream color Pomeranian with no teeth, a powerhouse of energy. The first time we had our picture taken together was at the Pawtrero’s 4th Annual Halloween Adoption Day at Pier 40. People would ask me what your name was, but I never used it, because I didn’t think it was your real name. I would say, “If he were my dog, I would call him “Bodhi.”

In November, I snuck you into Cafe Gratitude in the Mission for a delicious free Thanksgiving meal. It was our secret that you were in my bag. When we left the cafe, there was a Muttville poster on a pole in the street. Yes, we were in Muttville territory and we were safe and very grateful.

We spent a short time on Christmas Day inside Grace Cathedral, standing by the indoor labyrinth, a powerful symbol of peace and healing. We also took a picture with Santa at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, an event sponsored by the SF/SFPC. How that Christmas card ended up on one of my father’s photo web pages is unknowable. (see the beautiful photo here)

New Year’s Eve was the first time I can remember that I spent it with someone I loved, and around the middle of February, we went to look at the 3 dozen flowering plums at the entrance of Fort Mason on Bay and Franklin Streets.

By March, I felt strong enough to travel again, and went to Hong Kong for the first time in 28 years to attend a memorial concert of my father’s music. While I was gone, you got adopted at a mobile adoption at Pet Food Express. And before I could catch my breath, I was offered another Muttville foster, a 12 year old blind Bichon/Poodle named “Dandy.”

The Buddhists talk about “impermanence” a lot; there are a million songs about how all things must pass, and Joseph Campbell has written about the “joyful sorrows” of the world. The flowering plum blossoms only last a few weeks and people schedule blossom viewing parties to celebrate. The beauty of the pink blossoms last February was heartbreaking.

One of the sweetest and most tender memories I have is of us sitting together, listening to Willie Nelson sing “Let It Be Me.”

“I bless the day I found you
I want to stay around you
And so I beg you…”

There is one truth that will never change: you were and will always be My First Dog.

Farewell, my sweet boy, farewell, Bodhi Angel; thank you for all you did for me. I hope the family that adopted you had a wonderful life with you for 7 months.

Right now, there is a little girl out there, scared and lonely, who could use a friend like you.

Go find her, little buddy.

Go find her.

mariem3 | 10.27.11