Keeping The Faith

Life's Like This — Faith is oftentimes a battle, especially in the midst of overwhelming grief. It has been said that nothing on this earth lasts forever, except perhaps the love you can hold in your heart for one of God's creations. Such is the love I have in my heart for my beloved Golden Retriever, Sweety. If ever there was a dog that could capture the hearts of people she came in contact with, Sweety was such a dog. For over seven years, Sweety lived up to her name. Not only did she enrich the lives of my family and friends, but she touched the hearts of countless others with her beauty and loving personality. Sweety was a true blessing from God. On July 5, 2012, Sweety went to “Doggy Heaven” after being diagnosed with Osteo-Sarcoma, a bone cancer that left her lame and with a poor prognosis of leading a healthy and quality life. But while she is now gone, the memories of how she touched my life are firmly embedded in my heart and mind. And for those memories I am deeply grateful. And yet, coping with her loss is a daily struggle, one that I wish I did not have to go through. Sweety was such an integral part of my life. All around me are reminders of things we did together and of the life we shared since she was six weeks of age.

The Blessing of Maggie

Life’s Like This — Blessings come in all shapes, sizes, and forms. As humans, we have a need for companionship unlike any other creature on this earth. God must have had this in mind when he created us and then populated the earth with all kinds of living creatures, especially those that we have domesticated and have taken into our homes to love and care for. It should come as no secret that cats and dogs have taken a place in our families and that our attachment to them can be as strong as their human counterparts. These precious creatures each have their own unique personalty and characteristics that make them who they are and have a way of forming an emotional bond with us that is unbreakable. While some people might gravitate more to dogs that have come to be known as “man’s best friend” — cats with their independent spirits, can evoke a bond that can be just as strong as a dog. I realized this recently, when my wife and I made the difficult, but timely decision, to have Maggie, our 17 year-old cat euthanized. It was a decision that caused a swelling of emotion and flood of tears that I had not expected, tears for a cat that was unlike any other cat that I had known.

Life moments with a Golden Retriever

In April of 2005, I bought my first Golden Retriever puppy and soon discovered this was truly a special breed of dog. From the beginning, Sweety (the name I gave her), brought laughter and joy to everyone she met. It didn’t take me long to understand, first-hand, what makes Golden Retrievers one of the most popular dogs in America. Their beauty, intelligence, playful nature and gentle spirit make them so easy to love and appreciate. And the love they give back to you, well, you just can’t beat it! If ever there was a dog that could captivate someone’s heart, you can’t go wrong with a Golden.