Wednesday, October 16, 2013

"Just a Dog"

by Richard Biby of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
 Originally published in the
February 2006 issue of The Versatile Hunting Dog 

"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 phrase "just a dog", just smile, because they "just don't understand".

1 comment:

Kay said...

I loved the pictures you put with the words. The writer really summed up what our dogs do for us. My life would be much poorer without my dogs and all the friends I have made because of them.