Maddie

We always think there will be more time.  Another day, another hug, another walk, another hole to fill in the backyard or mess to come home to…just one more. 

Maddie came into our lives in 2014.  My daughter was in vet school at Kansas State in Manhattan, KS.  Kerri’s first surgery was to spay and neuter dogs from a local shelter.  Maddie was her dog.  And after her surgery, Maddie came home with Kerri.  They were inseparable. 

It was clear that Maddie had been feral before she found Kerri.  She was scrappy and had learned how to fend for herself and make a home wherever she landed.  She would scale any tree (I’ve seen her climb 10 ft or more) to chase a squirrel.  No box in the house was safe as she was convinced there must be food in there somewhere.  She could curl into the tightest of balls to keep herself warm.  And she was fast.  Lightning fast. 

Maddie’s real name was Matilda, even though no one ever called her that.  Most of the time she was simply known as “Dingo.”  The only other Matilda I had ever heard of was the title character in Roald Dahl’s book.  Feeling completely at a loss for words about how to best describe sweet Maddie, I asked ChatGPT, what Matilda would be like if she were a dog.  This is what the Universe sent back:

Matilda as a Dog: Personality

She’d be the small, scrappy, and incredibly smart mixed-breed pup (hello, brains and sass) with big, soulful eyes and a knowing expression. She’s the kind of dog who watches everything, figures out how to open doors, and gently comforts other animals when they’re scared.

She might be underestimated at the shelter, sitting quietly in the corner while everyone else barks—but she’s plotting how to sneak a treat from the highest shelf.

She needs mental stimulation, puzzles, games, toys, anything that engages her mind.  She has a strong desire to protect and care for her pack and, is happy to have found a true home.  One where she is loved for who she is and can let her tail wag freely.   She is super smart, learns tricks easily and probably opens the treat jar when no one is looking.  Known for keeping some distance at first, she is empathetic, always knowing when someone is sad and snuggles up without being asked.  She is fearless and creative.  She can “solve” problems most dogs wouldn’t even notice, like how to escape a locked room.  She can be sneaky, using her intelligence for tricks and mischief, and needs stimulation as she is easily bored and might invent a little chaos if left alone too long. 

A very accurate and astute description of Maddie.  But it was the summary that got me:

Basically, she’s the quiet genius pup who goes from overlooked to beloved, not by barking the loudest but by showing up with loyalty, bravery, and a little spark of magic.

Yes…I couldn’t have summed it up better.  She was magic.  And she understood that life was meant to be lived.

If I were to personify Maddie, I see Rose DeWitt Bukater from “Titanic.”  But only AFTER she was rescued.  Like Rose, Maddie never let any moment or activity pass her by.  Camping, skiing, hiking, swimming, so many photos and videos of Maddie just taking in all of life.  Every experience was to be savored.  She KNEW how lucky she was to have landed where she landed.  Plucked from fending for herself, she took nothing for granted.  She was SO athletic and healthy, and, like Rose, I pictured her many years from now, surrounded by her memories and all the people that loved her, living long past all expectations, and simply passing quietly in her sleep. 

Life had other plans.

Many of us, me included, tend to live like Rose as she was boarding the Titanic.  Seeing our lives as headed in a direction that we are powerless to change.  Living not for what we want, but instead doing what we believe is required; what others expect from us.  Afraid to give voice to what we desire. 

All living things - plants, animals, humans - have three things in common.  Birth, death and time.  We all arrive here, and, despite our best efforts, we will all eventually leave.  The only question for each of us to answer is how we will spend the time in between.  We should not live in fear of how little time we have.  Nor should we take it for granted that we will always have more.  But we should absolutely be respectful of the fact that time is limited.  And, more importantly, never forget that we get to CHOOSE how to spend it. 

Maddie was the embodiment of how to spend time by living in the moment.  Rose stopped waiting for other people to tell her how to live her life when she grabbed that whistle and decided, even with the loss of everything around her, she wanted to live.  And live doing what she chooses, not what others expect of her. 

I do not believe that the Universe, God, whoever is in charge sends us hard things to be cruel or bring us pain.  The relationships we are given, and the ones that are taken away, are to remind us that life is a precious thing.  Something that we should not wait until tomorrow to live. 

This week has been a hard reminder that we cannot always count on one more day.  We lost Maddie on April 1, 2025.  Way too soon.  And way too unexpectedly.  As sad and as hard as it has been, I am trying to remind myself that the gift she left us all is that every experience should be savored.  Right now.  In this moment.  And to never forget that we get to choose.  Choose joy.  Choose to participate in life.  Don’t run away when it gets hard.  Rely on your bravery and curiosity to solve the daily puzzle of “Why?”  Even if you never get an answer.  Let people underestimate you and prove them all wrong by simply showing up and being yourself.

Choose to live because we ARE still here and life has so much more to offer.  All we have to do is notice and take the next step, climb the next tree.  

 Rest in peace sweet Maddie.  Thank you for your love, your loyalty and your brave heart.  Thank you for your magic.  You will be missed every day.  ❤️❤️