07/26/2026
One year ago today, Seneca and I officially became a guide dog team when we graduated from our training on the Oregon campus of Guide Dogs for the Blind.
How has it already been a whole year?
A year ago, I walked across a stage with a little black Labrador at my side. What most people didn’t see were the tears, the fear, the doubts, and the heartbreak that brought me there.
After my late guide dog, O’Hara, passed away in 2022, I truly didn’t know if I would ever be able to love another guide dog. Losing her shattered a piece of my heart. The idea of opening myself up to that kind of love again felt impossible. The grief was so overwhelming that, during training, I nearly went home without a dog multiple times. Not because of Seneca, but because I was terrified. Terrified of moving forward. Terrified of being hurt again. Terrified that loving another dog somehow meant leaving O’Hara behind.
But with the support of my family, my classmates, and the incredible staff at Guide Dogs for the Blind, I found the strength to keep going when everything inside me wanted to run. They carried me through some of the hardest emotional moments of my life, and because of their kindness, patience, and compassion, I made it to graduation day.
And thank goodness I did.
Because this little dog has changed my life in ways I never could have imagined.
Over the past year, Seneca has given me confidence when I doubted myself, independence when I felt limited, comfort on the hardest days, and joy in moments when I needed it most. She has made me laugh until I cried, stood beside me through challenges, and reminded me every single day that I am capable of more than I think.
But the greatest gift she has given me wasn’t guidance. It wasn’t independence.
It was healing.
She taught me that moving forward is not the same as moving on. She showed me that loving her did not mean loving O’Hara any less. She helped me understand that grief and love can exist in the same heart, and that welcoming someone new doesn’t erase the ones we have lost.
She gave my heart permission to grow again.
Because of Seneca, I learned that love is not a limited resource. It does not run out. It does not divide. It expands. The love I had for O’Hara will always be there, and somehow this little dog found a way to carve out her own place right beside it.
A year later, I cannot imagine my life without her.
Happy one-year anniversary to my sweet girl, my teammate, my best friend, and the dog who helped put my heart back together. Thank you for every step we’ve taken, every obstacle we’ve overcome, and every memory we’ve made. I love you more than words will ever be able to say.
I hope you enjoyed your celebration dinner, my puppy girl: a steak with sweet potatoes and green beans, followed by banana topped with peanut butter, homemade whipped cream, and a drizzle of honey. You deserve every bite of it.
Here’s to many more years together. ❤️🐾:
