They say we should call ourselves “caretakers” of our pets. We feed them, shelter them, love them. We are their source for nourishment, for survival. I believe the word “caretaker” is more than just this. I refuse to dwell upon sadness, fear and anger over losing you, although they will grip me - I will do my best to silence them. I will instead embrace the life you have lived alongside your mother and I. I will recount and share in the happiness you have brought into our lives and the lives of others you have met.
I am writing this not to say goodbye, but to say thank you. Thank you for the gift you have given me. When we met I was a different man, a weaker man. I was broken in so many places that some thought I was irreparable, useless. You saw through this. You saw me for who I was and you didn’t give up the fight. We may have had our quarrels early on, but you were unwavering in your conviction. You were destined to change me and you did! It was a long, hard journey but you fixed what could not be fixed. You put together the pieces that were broken and when you found some missing, you offered your own to fill the void.
Thank you for your time. Thank you for your kindness. Thank you for comforting me when I was down. Thank you for being there for me when I was lonely. Thank you for holding me up when I was too weak to stand on my own. Thank you for sharing your life with me. Thank you for cheering me up. Thank you for always accepting a warm hug. Thank you for seeing through the wall I built to keep everyone out. Thank you for giving of yourself to see the real me. Thank you for everything.
After all this time, it had taken losing you to realize what our relationship really was. I was not your caretaker, Cujo...
You were mine.