My “Furr-st” Love
My first love was not the “girl next door”, or someone I randomly met at summer camp.
We met each other when I was only 3 years old,and were absolutely inseparable for 16 years. No matter if I was happy or sad, neither crying or smiling… my first love was there for me.
My first love knew our school schedule, and would be ready by the door when the school bus would drop us off. I was greeted everyday as if we hadn’t seen in each other in years.
Together, we learned how to play soccer, run around the yard, roll around in the grass, and, even perfected the art of “sloppy” kisses. But, more than that, I learned all about UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. The type of love that would unknowingly propel my entire future and fuel my greatest, most fulfilling passions.
Johnny.
Johnny was my first love.
A snow white,fluffy toy poodle that instilled tremendous moral foundation and mentored me in the true meaning of life…a life that doesn’t neurotically concern itself with yesterday or tomorrow. A life that focuses solely on the happiness of present day..Sadly, Johnny passed away in 2004.
Before our smartphone culture.
Before pets went ‘viral’, daily.
Before hundreds of our pictures and videos of our pets consumed our data limits.
I only have a few pictures of him, mostly because it was hard for him to stand still for a picture. You know, before the days of ‘blast’ photography or 100 redo’s. A time when ‘developing’ photography was still a thing, and we were all so eagerly surprised by the finished product, which in my case entailed Johnny as a unmistakeable ‘white blur’. 😉
The memories, however, will never blur, and I often find myself thinking of him when I am treating my senior patients. I wish I knew back then, what I know today, that could have helped him feel better.
But again, in the end, I recall those unforgettable lessons he deeply ingrained on my heart and realize he had a lifetime of what all pets crave for, and deserve the most…
… a loving family that LOVED him every single day and provided him with EVERYTHING he deserved.
…and isn’t that really the best medicine of all?
~TheK9PT
Dr. Francisco Maia, PT, DPT, CCRT