The Best Part About Owning A Dog...

... is the way he will come over to see me, for no reason, just to let me know I'm important to him...

... is the way he is always ready to lick the jelly off my nose...

... is the way he looks into my eyes and finds contentment in simply being near me...

... is the way he will run all over the yard, fetch a soggy tennis ball and bring it back to me as if to say "look mom, it's all I have, but it's yours...

... is the way he wakes me up in the morning by pushing his cold wet nose in my ear and snuffing loudly...

... is the way he shreds toilet paper all over the house, because it's fun even though he knows he shouldn't...

... is the way he's sure he can catch the ducks in the lake today...

... is the way he comes over to me when he is sad...

... is the way he wedges himself near me when I am sad and push all others away, to console me with his love...

... is the way he pounces on crickets in the backyard...

... is the way he looks perplexed when they escape...

... is the way he is terrified of the evil pink hula hoop...

... is the way he doesn't mind how much of that horrid perfume I'm wearing just because it was a gift from my relative who's visiting...

... is the way he doesn't care about bad hair day or overdue bills...

... is the way he loves you, even when you are impatient with him and have no time this morning for a game of tug-a-war...

... is the way his coat feels like liquid silk under my fingers...

... is the way he finds wisdom beyond words.

~Unknown