|
From
time
to
time,
people
tell
me,
“lighten
up,
it’s
just
a
dog,”
or,
“that’s
a
lot
of
money
for
just
a
dog.”
They
don’t
understand
the
distance
traveled,
the
time
spent,
or
the
costs
involved
for
“just
a
dog.”
Some
of
my
proudest
moments
have
come
about
with
“just
a
dog.”
Many
hours
have
passed
and
my
only
company
was
“just
a
dog,”
but
I
did
not
once
feel
slighted.
Some
of
my
saddest
moments
have
been
brought
about
by
“just
a
dog,”
and
in
those
days
of
darkness,
the
gentle
touch
of
“just
a
dog”
gave
me
comfort
and
reason
to
overcome
the
day.
If
you,
too,
think
it’s
“just
a
dog,”
then
you
will
probably
understand
phrases
like
“just
a
friend,”
“just
a
sunrise,”
or
“just
a
promise.”
“Just
a
dog”
brings
into
my
life
the
very
essence
of
friendship,
trust,
and
pure
unbridled
joy.
“Just
a
dog”
brings
out
the
compassion
and
patience
that
make
me a
better
person.
Because
of
“just
a
dog”
I
will
rise
early,
take
long
walks
and
look
longingly
to
the
future.
So
for
me
and
folks
like
me,
it’s
not
“just
a
dog”
but
an
embodiment
of
all
the
hopes
and
dreams
of
the
future,
the
fond
memories
of
the
past,
and
the
pure
joy
of
the
moment.
“Just
a
dog”
brings
out
what’s
good
in
me
and
diverts
my
thoughts
away
from
myself
and
the
worries
of
the
day.
I
hope
that
someday
they
can
understand
that
it’s
not
“just
a
dog”
but
the
thing
that
gives
me
humanity
and
keeps
me
from
being
“just
a
man.”
So
the
next
time
you
hear
the
phrases
“just
a
dog.”
just
smile,
because
they
“just
don’t
understand.” |
