Sweet Isabelle for A Place to Bark

Happy Thursday! I’m participating in a group project coordinated by Renee Troy to benefit Bernie Berlin’s A Place to Park. I learned of the project from Lori when she shared her entry, and immediately said, “Oh! I want to do that!” I follow Bernie’s blog and Facebook updates about her animal rescue work and am honored to contribute a page to the project. Once Renee receives all the pages, she’s going to bind them into a beautiful book to be auctioned off. All proceeds from the auction will go to A Place to Bark. I knew I wanted to use this picture of my sweet Isabelle with a quote of some kind. The one I included is by Rudyard Kipling and reads:

When the Man woke up he said,
"What is Wild Dog doing here?"
And the Woman said,
"His name is not Wild Dog any more,
but the First Friend,
because he will be our friend
for always and always and always."

I really love the “First Friend” reference in that one. My husband has always said that when he dies, he wants to come back as one of my dogs. I will admit that I do spoil them, but who else, truly, can give you the undying love and unquestioning affection that your faithful dog does? Here are a few more favorites that I came across.

“I talk to him when I’m lonesome like; and I’m sure he understands. When he looks at me so attentively, and gently licks my hands; then he rubs his nose on my tailored clothes, but I never say naught thereat. For the good Lord knows I can buy more clothes, but never a friend like that.” W. Dayton Wedgefarth

“He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds; my other ears that hear above the winds. He is the part of me that can reach out into the sea. He has told me a thousand times over that I am his reason for being; by the way he rests against my leg; by the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile; by the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him. (I think it makes him sick with worry when he is not along to care for me.)

When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive. When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile. When I am happy, he is joy unbounded. When I am a fool, he ignores it. When I succeed, he brags. Without him, I am only another man. With him, I am all-powerful. He is loyalty itself.

He has taught me the meaning of devotion. With him, I know a secret comfort and a private peace. He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant.

His head on my knee can heal my human hurts. His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things. He has promised to wait for me... whenever... wherever — in case I need him. And I expect I will — as I always have. He is just my dog.” Gene Hill

“When the dog was created, it licked the hand of God and God stroked its head, saying, ‘What do you want, dog?’ It replied, ‘My Lord, I want to stay with you, in Heaven, on a mat in front of the gate.’” Marie Noel

“He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.” Unknown Author

And lastly, this story even made DH tear up. “This soldier, I realized, must have had friends at home and in his regiment; yet he lay there deserted by all except his dog. I looked on, unmoved, at battles which decided the future of nations. Tearless, I had given orders which brought death to thousands. Yet here I was stirred, profoundly stirred, stirred to tears. And by what? By the grief of one dog.” Napoleon Bonaparte, on finding a dog beside the body of his dead master, licking his face and howling, on a moonlit field after a battle. Napoleon was haunted by this scene until his own death.

Tell me about your favorite furry friend!