So God Made a Dog

God said I need somebody to wake up and give kisses, sleep all day, wake up again, give more kisses, and then stay up till midnight basking in the glow of the television set. So God made a Dog.

God said I need somebody willing to give no complaint about wearing costumes they do not understand. I need somebody who can break wind without a first thought or second thought. Somebody no matter what you didn’t do, or couldn’t take, or didn’t win, or couldn’t make will love you without judgment just the same. So God made a Dog.

God said I need somebody gentle enough to love babies. Somebody who will spend all day on a couch with the resting head and supportive eyes to lift the spirits of a broken heart. So God made a Dog.

It had to be somebody who would remain patient and loyal even through loneliness. Somebody to care, cuddle, snuggle and nuzzle, and cheer and charm and snore and slobber. Somebody who would bring a family together with selflessness of an open heart. Somebody who would bark, and then pant, and then reply with the rapid wag of tail when their best friend says lets go to grandmas. So God made a Dog.

God said I need somebody who would stand at your side when the world around you collapses. Somebody to lie next to you during the long nights of pain and sorrow when it hurts to move, or talk, or think, or be. Somebody to stand guard, play games, snore for hours, and repeat as needed. Somebody to give you strength when you have none of your own. Somebody to fight when you have no fight left, to hold onto your soul as if it were their favorite toy, playing tug of war to keep you in this world. Somebody to be your companion and guide in this world and the next. Somebody to wait for you on the other side or stand guard in your absence until they can join you for eternity. So God made a Dog.