When I am old...
I shall wear turquoise and soft gray sweatshirts
and a bandana over my silver hair...
and I shall spend my social security checks on sweet wine and My Dogs...
and sit in my house on my well-worn chair, and listen to my dog's
breathing.
I will slip out in the middle of a warm summer night to take my dogs
for one-more sniffy walk. And when people come to call, I
will smile and nod as I speak of them...
The Ones so Beloved of the Past
and the Ones so Beloved of Today.
I will continue to be conscientious cleaning after them, caring for their comfort, and whispering their names in a soft loving way. And I will be an embarrassment
to many, especially my family, who have not yet found the calm in being free
to claim dogs as their Best Friends....
these friends who wait at any hour for my footfall and
eagerly jump to their feet out of a sound sleep to greet me in the foyer with pool-deep eyes of affection, hoping that I will
linger there and hug their big strong necks and kiss their dear sweet
heads, and whisper to them of my love and the beautiful pleasure of
their very special company.
Loving dogs is easy. They are part of me.
You will understand when you are old, if you
have dogs to love too.
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