Before All This

Before all this, before children and cross country moves and the military and our 30s, there was Jake. Rescued from a kill shelter this quiet, scared, badly abused pup joined our family when it was just Michael, myself, and a couple of awesome cats who have both left us now. He moved with us, grew with us, welcomed babies with us, and has become such a cornerstone in our lives that to imagine life without him is unthinkable. 

He’s 16 and a half now, and I find myself staring at him as if to commit all of these simple little moments to memory in preparation for the time when memory is all we’ll have. He’s truly the best dog in the world, our Jake. I hope this silly, now deaf old man knows how very loved he is.