The Art of Patience

The spirit and strength Delco has brought upon our family was a rare experience to go through. It all started when we went to have a look at the German Shepherd x Tibetan Mastiff pups and we we’re smitten with the runt of the litter; we knew from the second he came towards us that he would fit in perfectly with our family.

First night he was a secret from our parents, but he had won them come morning. He loved mum more than anything, I think it’s safe to say they were bosom buddies.

He took the role as protector, ever so seriously. His looks were deceiving, the cuddliest bear in the street. His barks were deep with caution amongst strangers but gentle enough to let you know he wants the fried chicken you’re eating.

I think his presence in our lives held us as family together and as individuals, even though there were plenty of cracks; the memories and adventures he had allowed us to accompany him in, the best lessons life could have gifted us.

Patience is something Delco has shared with us; it’s a simple memory but truly special. Practising patience as humans is a whole different concept it’s not as easy as it looks; the way he used to give little bits of himself to whoever needed it without any judgment, however many times and whenever.

At the time there was five of us, plus four other dogs, one rabbit, a cockatoo, a cat and the occasional visiting possum. How Delco could divide his time for all of us and still have energy to be the guard dog at the end of the day was beyond me. He had the patience of a saint; he was never grumpy no matter how long his days were, and whatever adventure we went on together as a family or one-on-one he was always up for it. He was so tender with Laydee, the rabbit and ever so tolerant with Romeo, the cat. His eyes held his world, that’s what we were to him. He was an old soul; it was like having a built-in best friend catered to each person’s life. He made sure he was still an effective pack leader but also had the patience correct the others with soft yet assertive reprimands.

I may be biased but I have learned the art of patience through Delco, through the darkest times of my life. There will be days you can’t see the end of the tunnel but with patience and timing you’ll get there. There are four seasons, it’s all about waiting it out one season to the next; be patient because they rotate, and you’ll get to your favourite season again.

It has shown me that, we are constantly surrounded by different people from all walks of life and a world full of situations that are consistently evolving and it’s not easy to accept things as they come. Patience doesn’t come off right the bat but if you want something or someone to part of your life, it takes more than a couple of tries.

I wished and willed for him to live forever, the times his ears had picked up on my sniffles and his head on my shoulder trying to console my heavy sobs. I truly believe we hit the jackpot when he waltzed our way that day. He came into all our lives, when we all needed a reason to move forward. His heart was as pure as the first rose of summer, always there and blossoming when surrounded by love. It’s not just about tolerating the outcomes of things but to trust the timing through unbearable obstacles that life has in store; it’s about building your patience towards things that are out of your control. It will always be a valuable memory to me because I was lucky enough to view through his eyes.

In his last days, I think it was his strength to persevere that made me realise how selfless he has been. He knew his days were numbered but never gave in so easily, he made sure he saw us through our last hurdle before he could finally breathe his last breath.

It hasn’t been the same since he left, I know his passing is something that I can't shake off so easily.

I have had many losses in my life, but I don’t think I have ever experienced the loss of a loved one as profoundly the way I felt when we lost our beloved, Delco. He was more than just a pet; he was and will always be an extension of our hearts and lives. Delco really was the epitome of man’s best friend.