by Roy Belcher
My Dearest Pup,
Pets are a gift we give our selves and you are one of the best gifts Ive ever had. So this is a note just for you telling how much I have enjoyed having you and your sister as a part of my life. I wont find the words to fully tell the stories, recall the memories or describe the joy having you as my pets has brought me. Your faithful dedication to the art of just being alive and to loving another creature unconditionally has shown me a great deal.
To greet all people with a sniff and a smile.
To ignore the small stuff your own size and dive for the things 10 times bigger than you.
To stop and smell the weeds and the roses along the way.
To never tire of the job of being curious.
To be content with a simple meal.
To not discount the power of your looks when begging for a treat.
To spend more time showing the world that you are happy by wagging your tail.
You and your sister have been great pals and wonderful companions. The past 13 years have been the best 13 years and I will never be able to express how much you have added to those years and how very much you will be missed. Youve been a pretty good listener as long as food could tempt you into listening, a fantastic napping buddy, someone to greet me at the door when I get home from work, a snoop, a sneak and a great one to take long walks with.
So for now, Ill say good-bye and send you off to be with your sister again. Mom is there to take care of you until I get there, but dont worry; Ill come get you and well be together again one day. And I will watch TV and you can take long naps in the sun, sit on the newspaper when Michael is trying to read it, lounge on the back of couches or the pillows on the bed, eat treats and steal slurps of coffee from the unsuspecting, bark at the folks on your street and chase cats, birds and squirrels to your hearts content.