Gentleman Jake: My Yellow Lab
I was sorting through my, very-incomplete, archive of things I written and I came across this 11 year-old piece about my dog Jake:
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Jake, Gentleman Lab |
Then Jake came along.
Jake was introduced to me by a co-worker. Her daughter had been a part of rescuing him from a sad 'situation' with his first owners. My co-worker thought that perhaps Jake and I would be a good match. She sent me to meet him.
He was a rambunctious 2-year old labrador retriever who could bounce and play with the best of them. His handsome face and big brown puppy eyes quickly melted any reservations I was still harbouring about becoming a dog owner. I immediately began making plans to have Jake become part of my household.
His transition into my life (and mine into his) was surprisingly smooth. I think I won him over with doggie treats and a trip to the swimming hole -- all-natural chicken jerky and a game of fetch-the-driftwood are the keys to Jake's heart. So much so, it's hard not to let him over-indulge. It takes so little to make him happy and when he's happy you can't help but follow along. He's got a charming personality and an incredibly expressive little face. When he smiles you know things are alright and when he raises an eyebrow you know something's gone awry.
Jake is 5 years-old this month and we will soon have been together 3 years. I can honestly say I've never once, in all that time, come anywhere near regretting bringing him into my life. I still get out of bed insanely early so I can take him for a walk before I go to work and I do it with a smile. I still look forward to getting home from work in the evenings because I know when I walk through my front door he will be there waiting with a rawhide bone in his mouth, his tail wagging double-time.
With Jake, it's hard not to find happiness in the little moments and for that, I continue to be very grateful.
I didn't go looking for it but the discovery seems timely. Yesterday was the fifth anniversary of Jake's death. I guess you suspect, by the fact that I know that, he never stopped being a big part of my life. I grieved for him a long time. I learned a lot about grief because of him. I'm a better person in many ways because he was a part of my life. Grateful still feels like a good word.
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