Dear Johnny Boy,
You lick the tears away at the sign of a sniffle. Often times, to the point of an overwhelming, cannot really breathe correctly situation and so I ask you to stop. You stare at me out of the corner of your eye for a minute and settle by laying your head on my chest instead. That will do. I know you can feel my pain, happiness, frustration, anger, and excitement. You read my body language with an undeniable accuracy. That makes me feel understood. You are a soul, too, with feelings and emotions, and you have never lost your ability to feel or act on instincts.

When I get home from a long day at work, no one knows how to celebrate quite like you do. You hear me come in, I yell “Johnny BOYYYYYYY,” just so you know it is me walking through the door (we have this understanding since we both know how protective you are of this land), and you come running down the stairs with all the thumps and tail smashes to the wall. You leap off the last step like a gazelle and I do not know how else to explain you other than as some wild deer/kangaroo/coyote/hyena hybrid. You are talking to me with your happy growl, jumping on two legs, and doing the wiggle dance. At this point, a full on party has erupted. We are jumping around and saying hey and chasing each other and wondering how we got through a full eight hours of no communication. How absurd. I know you are ready to pee and have dinner, so that is what we do.
​
Remember that time I was crying for months and things were different and we lived somewhere else? Thank you for all of those snuggles. You were very protective over me during that time. You would never make me get out of bed but you were the reason I ever did. I had you, this little creature I undeniably loved so much, and you needed to be fed and let out regularly. You were still a young sir back then. So we took walks, we had snuggles, you ate your breakfast and your dinner every day. You helped me heal faster than I ever would have. It is amazing what learning to care for a dog can do for the soul.

When we go to sleep at night, you nudge the blanket over and over until you can get under the covers. It is a difficult process because you cannot fully understand the fact that if your back legs are standing on the blanket and your front is nudging to go under, it takes a lot of work to lift up the blanket to get you under. It’s ok, though. We work together and eventually you are under the blanket in spoon position, ready to get your sleep on. I don’t think you know that moments like that make you a diva in the dog world. You know what you want and you go for it. I can respect that.

Right now, it’s the morning, and you are laying here next to me, under the covers of course, because you do not want to get up until I do. You are courteous and loving in that way. But I know once I stand up, you will be pumped to take on the world once again. Always ready for an adventure. Thank you for teaching me unconditional love. That I am unconditionally lovable. You are the only uncomplicated relationship in my life, and I think we both need that. Rescuing you was the single most important and ‘worth it’ moment I have experienced to this day. Maybe someday we will tell everyone about how I fought to rescue you specifically. Until then, let’s go take on this day.

I love you an unexplainable amount, deep to the core, Johnny Boy. Keep teaching everyone to feel how they feel.
Love,
Your rescue mom <3
@goodmoynan