Passions of an Odd Chick

Have I mentioned that I have this beautiful little friend that has stayed by my side, literally, for 9 years. She is almost blind now from diabetes but she still follows me everywhere. This little minature Australian, I call "Annie" knows a huge vocabularly of English words and is constantly eavesdropping on my conversations so she can anticipate where I'm going and if she will be welcome. She also knows my shoes and whether they are conducive to her coming with me. She knows when I am sick and won't leave my side even to eat. She immediately defends me against all new dogs or strange people. Once I fainted and hit my head on a tile floor, I woke up to her licking my face. And she watches me like some small sphinx (or at least stares towards me, and listens to me)- constantly, when she's not asleep by my side. It can be unnerving sometimes but mostly it is very comforting. She is a very dear friend - I know no other way to describe her. We get each other and always have. I believe dogs will be with us in heaven because I believe we will go back to a garden setting where animals dwell peacefully with us. After all, that's what He intended all along before we messed it up.

Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace." - Milan Kundera