Tribute to my best friend. You were always there for me, through sunshine and rain. When my dysfunctional family was crumbling down, when I was bullied in school, when the entire world seemed so bleak, you wagged your tail and smiled at me. And suddenly everything was going to be okay.

We dug giant holes in the backyard, filled it with water, jumped in and covered ourselves in mud. The best days were when we got to go to your favorite lake. You really loved to roll in duck poop and dead fish. I held you in my lap even when you smelled like rotten fish. I had to shampoo you twice and it was all so much fun.

With each divorce and remarriage, we had to move and give you away when the new place didn’t allow dogs. But somehow you always made it back to me. When emotional trauma gave me amnesia for one year, I couldn’t remember the people in my life but I remember you. If my mom had gone through with the suicide, I would have been okay because I had you.

I grew up and you grew old. Now I’m old enough to be okay on my own, and it was thanks to you. I’ll always miss you. Thank you for the 17 years of unconditional love.