Wild Heart and Gentle Soul: Lessons from a Husky

The snow’s falling, and with it comes the sweetest memories of our Indi — wild, joyful, and so very loved. 🤍🐾

The season's first snowfall tonight brings memories of our sweet husky, Indi. It’s been about a month since we said goodbye, and I still half expect to see her out there, nose to the wind (or in the snow), soaking it all in. She was just shy of 14, and for 12 ½ of those years, we were lucky enough to have her in our lives. Even now, it’s hard to put into words how much she means to us. Her bed sits untouched, her collar no longer jingles, and the house feels empty, quieter.

In the heartbreak of losing her, we’ve been trying to focus on the incredible gift it was to have had her for so long. So many walks, car rides, and snow days. So many stories. Indi was pure husky — dramatic, stubborn, hilarious, and completely her own person (well, dog). She could make us laugh and exasperate us all in the same breath. But we wouldn’t trade one moment of it.

As we’ve been reflecting, we keep coming back to what she taught us — the little life lessons that showed up in the way she moved through the world. Indi didn’t overthink life. She just lived it. And she left us with a few reminders we’ll carry forever:

🐾 Follow your wild heart. Indi never pretended to be anything other than who she was. She reminded us to stay curious, to trust our instincts, and to keep a little wild in us no matter how old we get.

🐾 Demand what you need. Indi was never shy about letting us know when she wanted something. A paw on the arm, a stare that could melt steel or a bark that could make your ears ring — she got her point across. She taught us that it’s okay to ask for what you need, unapologetically.

🐾 Love your people hard. She loved with her whole being — no hesitation, no holding back. The kind of love that meets you at the door, sits next to you when you’re sad, and reminds you that presence is everything.

🐾 Keep going, even when it’s hard. In her later years, when her body started slowing down, she still showed up for walks and moments together. She never stopped trying. That quiet determination is something I’ll never forget.

🐾 Find time to play — in your way. Indi wasn’t into fetch, but she loved her kind of play — rolling in the snow, tearing through the house when she had the zoomies, lounging in the sun where it shone through the door. She reminded us that joy doesn’t have to look a certain way; it just has to feel like you.

🐾 Be gentle with others. She had such a sweet patience with kids. Where she would shy away from allowing a new adult near her, kids were always welcome to love on her.

We miss her more than words can say, but

I like to think she's on her greatest adventure. Indi will always be a part of us — in how we love, how we show up, and how we make space for both joy and wildness in our days.

Run free, sweet girl.