4 Feb 2016, 22:11 CST

Tonight we went to see A Dog’s Purpose. Having had and loved many dogs over my lifetime, I cried about 1/4 of the movie, smiled 1/2 of the time, and just had a warm overall feeling the whole time. It was good. 

So many dogs I have known and loved. I had the opportunity to work at a veternary clinic in college, and it was truly one of the amazing experiences of my life. I loved every single minute of it, looking back now anyway. There were a few dogs I didn’t care for, Boomer in particular, but oh so many more that I loved so very much. They were truly wonderful. I still remember so many of them – Midnight, Sandy, Sadie, Tiffany, Tammy, Shelby, Ladd, Boomer, Ben, Oliver, Sam, and so many others. Some were old, some were young, and some were just in the prime of their lives. All were very loved by their owners. They were more than dogs. They were children. 

My own dogs have included Snowflake, Kozmo, Patrick, Fred, Gracie, Tiki, Asti, and Moxie, as well as a few others we had when I was a child. As soon as I moved into our first house in Jonesboro, I got an inside dog I had always wanted one of my own, and I’ve had one ever since. I don’t really want to be without one. Sure, I travel some, and I have to take Moxie Loo to camp or to a friend’s house, but I just cannot imagein coming home to an empty house without a cold nose to greet me with sweet kisses. I don’t think it would be a home without a dog. 

A good friend lost his beloved furchild today. I wept. I held Moxie Loo close. I can imagine his grief, as I’ve been there before, but I know for each person it is different. I do not know what I will do if something happens to Mox. I really don’t want to be without, but I don’t know that I want a new puppy right now. Maybe soon. 

A dog’s Purpose, to me anyway, is to be loved by humans.  We are not here on this earth to hurt animals. We are here to live with them, and for some, it means that they get to live with us in our homes too. Cats and dogs, mainly, with the occasional bird or turtle. But, for me, it will always be dogs.