What a beautiful, thought-provoking story, Stephanie. I'm sorry about your furry friend. I'm sure she had a lovely life with you and your family.

I recently endured a nasty bout of bronchitis which lasted three weeks. It made me appreciate being able to breathe without coughing.

We take so much for granted and like you said, we only notice our bodies when something starts hurting. I enjoyed this thoughtful piece.