Dear Bentley,
Words cannot even express the love I have for you. Somehow, despite the fact that we are different species, and we can't talk, I somehow feel like you understand the deepest parts of my soul. I remember the day we first met - you were really little, and awkward. And so was I. I sat down on the floor and among your brothers, you were put on the floor also. You darted right up to me and threw yourself in my lap and I just knew. It was love at first sight. Waiting a few weeks to bring you home felt like an eternity, and yet, finally. the day arrived and we were officially united - best friends till the very end.
I was anxious and nervous; suddenly I didn't have just myself to take care of anymore - I had you too. You cried the first few nights; I wanted to cry too. I would sleep next to your kennel on the floor, and I would poke my hand in through the bars to try and calm you down. And then I gave you Bullseye, the stuffed animal horse from Toy Story, and you would snuggle up against him at night and sleep like a baby.
I used to be able to pick you up and hold you like a baby, when you were really tiny and small and awkward. When your head was too big for your body and your feet were too large for your legs. You slept a lot too; I don't blame you, being adorable is a lot of work. And with each passing day, somehow I fell in love with you more than I had ever imagined I could. I never knew a person could love something as much as I love you.
And then you started to get big. I all but blinked and suddenly you were the size of a horse! Your fur got longer; your body changed so that your paws were no longer too big for your legs. Your chest got wide and massive, and I couldn't pick you up anymore. Although that didn't stop you from climbing into my lap and snuggling and pretending you were still small.
We have had lots of adventures together; we've taken hikes together, cried together, hurt together, howled together, snuggled together, gone on walks together, held hands and ridden in cars. We've played fetch and chase, and somehow, even though we have done it probably a hundred times, it never gets old. And pretty soon we ditched your kennel and you ended up sleeping in my bed - every night. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
Things were perfect and wonderful for us, and then I got sick. And I was tired. And I cried a whole lot; more than I've ever cried in my entire life. Despite all of my tears and sadness, you stuck around. Every time you saw me crying, you were quick to run to me and try to love on me. You would nuzzle under my arm and my neck and remind me that you were there and things were going to be okay. I had spent the last two years taking care of you, but now you were starting to take care of me. You never left my side, not once. You would lie beside me on the couch or up in my bed, or you would sit on the floor near me, making sure that I was never alone or afraid. You would wiggle your nose into my palm, and even though it was kind of gross, your wet nose was comforting. It takes a lot of love, commitment and sacrifice to sit with a girl that is all tears and exhaustion.
Friendship comes from unlikely places, and if you would've asked me five years ago that I would be raising you, I would've said the chances weren't likely. Friendship can exceed the bonds of people; friendship can be found in four-legged, furry friends. You became my best friend in July of 2013, but it feels like we've known each other our entire lives.
I often joke about how you are my "spirit guide", like how Aang has Appa or how Aragorn has Brego or how Harry Potter has Hedwig. You're the yin to my yang and the color to my black and white and the peanut butter to my jelly (I know how much you love that). And I couldn't imagine a world where you weren't in it, because you mean so very much to me. When I'm away at college I find myself crying more about missing you than missing anything else (sorry, family). You have been my greatest investment, my closest friend, my confident and my adventure buddy.
Let's keep having adventures together.
Love always,
- H
No comments:
Post a Comment