Two years ago today: Tyler's last garbage can

This week I commemorate two years since Tyler crossed the Rainbow bridge. 

With that comes a flood of memories, both joyous and painful.  

Here's one I am eternally grateful to have caught on my phone's camera.

It was exactly two years ago today that Tyler experienced the joy of jumping into an empty garbage can for the final time.

July 26th, 2014.

Two years ago I was dabbling with the idea of converting to Christianity.  A lifetime of disillusionment with Judaism, coupled with a rather severe personal crisis around my 40th birthday (I'm not getting into it now) sought me to seek religion from.....shall we say.....a different angle?

I started attending a church, reading the bible (an app version of the bible of course) and gave it a serious shot, culminating with my baptism exactly 2 years ago today on a beach on the north shore of Long Island.  It was kind of a group baptism thing, I was one of 15 or 20 people who, one by one, accepted Christ and allowed the pastor to basically attempt to drown them for 5 to 10 seconds.

It was fun, it was rewarding, the dunking thing was scary for a second, it was spiritually enlightening, but in the end it was not to be.  Following that I felt the calling (and guilt) of my Jewish youth and put the brakes on the whole Christian thing.

Honestly? I'm just not a religion kind of guy.  Oh I respect those that believe, I even believe in god, I pray in my own private way.  I'm just not a belong to a church kind of person, does that make sense?

Today I still pray in private, but I consider myself more of a Jewish Christian.  A Jistian? A Chew?

You know what I mean.

What does this have to do with Tyler right?  I'm getting to that, GEEZ!

Anyway, on that day exactly two years ago a small number of friends and family came back to my humble apartment for a little celebration of my achievement.

Tyler was at that point well past 15 and in failing health, as you all should know as readers of my blog.  2014 was not kind to the old man.  By late July he was skin and bones and having great difficulty eating and even sitting and resting.

It did not matter on that July 26th.  Tyler, once more, was master of ceremonies.  If guests were over, ill health be damned!

Tyler ran around with us, chased his toys, had to know what everyone was doing, ate a little, and, right on cue, as I was emptying the kitchen garbage.....

Jumped right in.

Just as he had always done.

Having struggled alongside the old man for the better part of the year, watching him waste away, it was a sight for sore eyes. 

Tyler's last garbage can.

Less than one week later Tyler would cross the Rainbow Bridge. 

Join with me in remembering what I consider the greatest, smartest, kindest, most loving being on this planet.

My Tyler.

I hope you and Tiger are partying it up at the Rainbow Bridge, old man.  Always in perfect health, always plenty of toys and sun and not a care or sneeze anywhere.  I hope you know how painful it is without you, how much I miss you to this day, and how grateful I am to have adopted you and let you take over my life as you did. 

I simply cannot wait to meet you there one day.  

Here's Tyler's first garbage can, back in 2000: