By Barbara Anne Kirshner

What makes for bonded pairs? Do they have to be siblings or a mother and her offspring or maybe it’s two that started off as acquaintances only to realize life was much better together than apart?

Park was seven years old when ten week old dachshund puppy, Melissa Tulip, joined our family. We had gone through a traumatic loss the year before with the untimely death of our beautiful Madison whom after two highly invasive back surgeries passed at only seven years three months old. We were despondent. I saw our Lexington, who was six years old at the time, staring out the back sliding glass doors looking for Madison and wondering if she would emerge from behind the thick arborvitae.

Park and Madison were best buddies. From the moment Park came into our house, Madison took him under her care and he looked up to her. Both Lexington and Park were sad without Madison. The house became painfully quiet as all of us were mourning the loss of our beloved girl. Lexington had always been somewhat of a loner, and even after Madison passed, she remained the loner. Park, who was used to having Madison at his side, was lost without her.

Then on Memorial Day 2013, light and life returned when Melissa Tulip joined our family. It was as if she stepped inside the house, put down her bags, looked around and declared, “Let the games begin!” And boy how they did!

Lexington showed Melissa Tulip the ropes, teaching her to bark at the Labs next door and how to climb the ramps placed in strategic positions around the house offering easy access to our king size bed, the living room sofa and the love seat in my study.

But Park ignored Melissa Tulip for the first month she was with us. Then the day came when something triggered a recognition in Park. Madison sometimes sported a strand of pearls, especially on holidays. When she passed, I wanted to preserve the pearls as a keepsake so instead of letting Lexington or Melissa Tulip wear them, I wrapped and placed them in my jewelry box.

One day while shopping, I saw a crystal necklace and thought, instead of pearls, Melissa Tulip would wear crystals. I came home with my find and placed the necklace around Melissa Tulip’s neck. That’s when I witnessed something that was so extraordinary I couldn’t deny it. Park looked at Melissa Tulip wearing the necklace and did a double take as if he recognized the soul within. From that day to this, Park and Melissa Tulip have been inseparable. From the moment their eyes greet each new day until a blanket of night tucks them in, these two are together.

They communicate easily with each other, they know each other’s moods and understand when one isn’t feeling well, they go on adventures together, they sleep with noses touching and Park has become Melissa Tulip’s groomer. He will even step aside and let her lick the remnants of his food bowl. I have seen her take a bone out of his mouth and in response he will never growl, but instead simply search out another. He is always extremely giving to her.

Park is fifteen and a half years old now and Melissa Tulip will be nine on March 13. Park went through a terrible health scare last year when he suddenly lost the use of his hind legs. But with the help of a wonderful vet who practices alternative medicine, Park progressed and miraculously the paralysis disappeared.

All during the five months of his convalescence, Melissa Tulip was right there by his side watching over him. The little sister became the protector.

We dread the thought of our sweet boy, Park, not being here anymore and we worry about how Melissa Tulip will go on after Park. When Lexington crossed the rainbow bridge in 2020, Park and Melissa Tulip helped each other through the loss. What will Melissa Tulip do without her soul mate?

But soul mates last forever, don’t they? When the day comes for Melissa Tulip to cross over that rainbow bridge, I’m sure Park will be waiting to welcome her. Then the bonded pair will once more play together, search out Heavenly adventures together and curl up together when the day is done.