It begins and ends with dogs.
My first memory is of hanging onto the collar of a patient yellow lab.
In between come children, first glowing, then gangly, then somewhat surly, then gone for now.
In between come jobs, first with the hands, then with ratiocination, then with anger at death.
In between come deadlines, day camps, bad bosses, the random deaths of friends, school plays, kidney stones, paychecks and endless television.
In between come laughter, singing, if you are lucky — climbing the wild mountains under a blue-black sky, broken bones, day surgery and bridge work on back molars.
You will have regrets. Everyone does.
When sorrow comes, the dogs will be there.
I had a yellow lab, a black dachsund, a brown dachsund, a lovely Bernese with bad hips, and now a fiesty Welch Corgi.
If you feel afraid of something, do it anyway.
Learn to forgive, even me.
Mm.