An excerpt from my journal – one I wrote all those nights I spent thinking about Ranger:
Attachment. If I could offer one piece of advice to everyone, it would be not to get attached to people, places, or things. (Add pets to that list) Everything is temporary. Nothing is permanent.
I know it sounds weird – how much Ranger means to me. He wasn’t even mine. But I felt like that dog understood me in a way that no other human has ever done. When I was sad or simply had a rough day at school, it’s as if he could sense it and be extra playful with me on those days. If I was happy, his energy mirrored mine.
To many, “a man’s best friend” is a myth. How can one feel closer to a dog than a human? To one of their own? I am living proof that it is possible. Dogs are amazing creatures. Loyal, dependable, and lots of fun.
Losing Ranger, felt like losing part of my identity. Part of who I am. Maybe it’s because I’m a kid, and I haven’t experienced any devastating loss yet. I haven’t dealt with serious broken relationships or death. I have no experience in those matters. So to me, this is the worst. The hardest. The saddest.
The only comfort I have, the only thought that keeps me going, is that I know Ranger will have a positive impact on Henry’s home. He will help lessen the blow of a son losing his father. He will help Henry.
Yet, I can’t help but be selfish and wish he would come back.
