Dear Dog

[tzvia]

Dear dog,
Yes, you are a dog. That is why you are named KELEV- dog in Hebrew. I promised myself I would not spoil you but I failed, and you strut around with that smug little grin that comes with knowing that you can get whatever you want by making a goofy face or trying to look deprived.

But yes you proved that you are more than just a dog. Somehow you 'got it' when my father became ill and I became a caregiver. You became a caregiver, a companion, a watch dog who always came and got me when dad needed something or had to be assisted. How did you figure that out? Who taught you that he did not belong in the kitchen alone at night? A dangerous place for a man with Dementia, and you came and got me to go investigate with a look like I have never seen before. I did not understand at first, thought you wanted another cookie, but found dad there instead, and got him back to bed. It took me a few times to figure out; you were never around for that cookie after I took care of dad- you got me because of dad.

Now he is in a home, and you are unemployed. No more caregiving. You can be that goofy dog again, older and wiser though. I'm wiser too. It's amazing what a dog can teach a person. Enjoy your retirement, Kelev.