In Loving Memory of Bodhi

Bodhi passed away on the morning of June 18, 2022. He was with Sheri and her husband, John at the time. In his earlier years, Bodhi could be seen in the waiting room, in between sessions, greeting clients and giving extra attention to those clients who seemed to need it that day,

This past year, Bodhi had been struggling with arthritis and a spinal condition that caused him to lose the function of his back legs. To combat this, Bodhi tried acupuncture, chiropractic, and a wide range of supplements and medications. Despite his increasing pain and mobility issues, Bodhi was always eager to come to the office each morning to be of service to clients in the best way he knew how---just being himself. He was a special dog who touched many with his compassion and caring nature.

He will be greatly missed by staff, providers and clients at New Beginnings Health Care, where he was seen as part of the team. To learn more about Bodhi, please read Bodhi's Story below.

Bodhi's Story

To understand how Bodhi came to be with us, it is helpful to know I had had two previous dogs named Max and Rusty. Max was a chocolate lab and Rusty was a fox red lab. Max was an assertive, energetic animal while Rusty was mellow and laid back. It would be fair to say Max bowled through life and Rusty rolled with it. I loved Max but adored Rusty. I had Rusty for 11 years before he suddenly passed away one afternoon without warning. I was devastated. A year later I lost Max to cancer. The pain was such that I decided against getting another dog.

About two years passed, and one Thursday night I had a dream about Max and Rusty. This wasn’t unusual as I often dreamt about them. But this dream felt different. Max was in the forefront, his big chocolate face and bro36wn eyes looking right at me. Rusty was running around in the background and wouldn’t come to me. This hurt my feelings in a strange way that dreams often do, and I woke up Friday morning, with the dream weighing on my mind.

Later that evening, my husband, John, mentioned our daughter-in-law, Jess, had taken in a chocolate lab abandoned in their neighborhood. Jess really didn’t have room for another dog in the home, and was hoping we might consider taking him in. The lab had been neglected, had fleas, ear mites, and intestinal worms, all of which the vet she worked for had taken care of. As John talked about the dog, the dream that had weighed heavy on me came to mind and I felt a desire to meet the dog. I kept thinking about Max’s big face staring into mine in the dream. When Bodhi came to us on Saturday, he was thin, scared, and his coat was patchy from having scratched at fleas for so long. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to take on another dog, but if ever a dog needed a home, it was Bodhi.

The final thing about Bodhi is his name was actually Max when he came to us. Yes, his name really was Max, just like my old lab in my dream. It never felt right calling him Max so we changed his name to Bodhi. We had had Bodhi for a week or so, and John made the comment one night, “Bodhi is like the perfect mix of Max and Rusty. He looks like Max on the outside, but is like Rusty on the inside.” In other words, Max’s physical appearance was forefront, and Rusty’s personality was in the background.

It took Bodhi a few weeks to heal and get well before I brought him to the office. I also wanted to make sure his temperament was as laid back as it seemed to be. Fortunately, it was, and Bodhi took to coming to the office like he was born to the job. He loved every client he met (even when they didn’t always love him) and it didn’t take him long to gain a following. He is loved by staff, providers and clients (all of who sneak him treats) and love to rub his belly. I have never regretted giving Bodhi a home and a job. In return, he has brought untold healing to my heart and that of many others whose lives he has had the privilege to touch.