Sunday's Gratitude: Just a Dog?

I'll keep this brief, and I've included some cute pictures of Wiley hiding in the rhododendron to keep our spirits high.  I just wanted to share that I have something for which I am very grateful, and I know you can relate. Last week we found a lump on Wiley's leg. We've had dogs with benign fatty cysts in the past, and hoped and prayed that was all this was. However the vet did not feel comfortable ruling out cancer after a needle biopsy, so we had to wait for a report from the pathologists.

  Apparently it is not cancer, but the recommendation is still to remove it if it doesn't get smaller in the next few weeks. The week we spent waiting to hear seemed interminable. However we are grateful to hear it is not as bad as we know it could have been. Please keep Wiley in your thoughts and prayers.  

On a different note, I have exciting news. The Rescue Dog Blog is going to feature A PUPPY this week! Wait until you see her.  We'll also have a bunny coming up, and maybe some kitties. What I'm trying to tell you is it's going to be a very cute week!  Also, we need more pets.  We are going to need more features by next week so please, share your story.

 In closing, and because I'm feeling sentimental, I'm leaving you with these words about what our pets mean to us. I really wish I knew to whom the credit goes for writing this, but all my sources say "Author Unknown."

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 travelled, 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 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" or "just a woman."

So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog," just smile, because they "just don't understand." 

Author Unknown