April 1, 2011

Today is April 1. April Fools day. There is lots going on. My cousin’s grandmother (whom she dearly loves) had a major stroke and is not doing well, my friends wife has been diagnosed with colon cancer and will soon have surgery, at work a friends baby is very close and we are planning a shower to welcome her. Yet with everything else going on there is a little whisper in the back of my mind about this day. This is Riley’s birthday. Riley was my dog. Actually he was Craig’s dog. I got him for Craig’s birthday 17 years ago. He was just a little 4 ½ pound ball of fur, but he was ours. He was our first pet we got together in our married life. And even though he was a dog, he was our child. In bed I would lie on my side and hold my arms out in a circle in front of me and he would walk up into my arms and I would hug him. He was always interested in what you might be saying, a good listener. And he was sensitive. If you were upset he wanted to make it better. We lost him 2 years ago on April 13. It doesn’t seem like he should be gone that long. Yet, sometimes it feels like he has been gone forever. Even after 2 years I miss him so much. Somebody said that man should strive to become half the person that their dog thinks they are. In most cases I think that would be pretty hard to do. I could tell when he looked at me that he was my boy and he loved me. I was not worthy of his limitless love and trust, but I sure am glad the he thought I was. "He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion." - Unknown