By JORDAN GREEN, Editor-in-Chief
Every dog will have his day. And for one special puppy in my life, that day was Wednesday.
Wednesday was National Puppy Day, but I’ve got something to bark for more than a day: puppy love and the circle of life.
When folks think of life, many picture a newborn baby or a blooming tree in springtime. In my family’s house, the most recent example of life beginning – and seemingly beginning anew – came in the form of a little Great Pyrenees puppy.
His name is Jack.
Jack is a quiet, friendly fur ball who loves crawling on laps, kissing faces and, believe it or not, playing with cats.
My mom got him about a week ago, and her world hasn’t been the same since. It’s been astronomically better. Puppies have that effect.
But while Jack the dog is a new member of our family, his name has been in our hearts for years.
My mom named Jack the canine after a close family friend, Jack Day, who died in early February.
Jack Day was one of those grandfather types. He and his wife, Linda – who died just four days before him – became a part of our family. They supported my sister and me in all of our school musical events, and they enjoyed cooking tasty meals for us. They were truly precious people.
Their passing was untimely. But then that puppy dog came along unexpectedly a few weeks later. His arrival was quite timely; he showed up right when we needed him.
A friend’s living situation was changing, and she needed to rehome this then-unnamed puppy. My mom was quick to offer up our place, and she didn’t take long to find a fitting name for the pup – a moniker that pays tribute to someone so dear to us.
So, just how fitting is Jack’s name?
The similarities between human Jack and puppy Jack, henceforth referred to accordingly, are striking.
Human Jack could be a little gruff around the edges, and he wasn’t afraid to “bark” at people when he wasn’t happy. Puppy Jack doesn’t like getting put in his room at night; he’d prefer to roam all over the house, and he barks to voice his displeasure. But in spite of his frankness, human Jack never barked anyone up the wrong tree. Puppy Jack surely won’t, either. His bark, and his bite, aren’t that bad at all.
With all due respect, human Jack could be a little bit grumpy sometimes. But he was always willing to help out those he cared about. Similarly, puppy Jack isn’t too fussy, but all puppies whine a bit.
Still, he wants to follow my mom, dad and me wherever we go around the house. He’s right there with us all the time, and he makes it clear that he wants to be there. Just like human Jack did.
Human Jack enjoyed being outside, and so does puppy Jack. An outdoorsman extraordinaire, human Jack enjoyed spending time with my family at our farm. He also relished in good car rides. Puppy Jack does, too, and he got a big thrill out of his first trip to the farm on Sunday.
Human Jack knew a thing or two about making folks laugh. He had a dry sense of humor, and some of his witty comebacks could leave his audience members gasping for breath as they laugh. Puppy Jack’s adorable smile and curious behavior make us laugh, and we’re sure he knows what he’s doing.
The biggest similarity, though, is that human Jack had a big heart full of love – and so does puppy Jack.
Love is not an emotion or a feeling, but a sense of belonging and peace that comes from quality time spent together. We had that with human Jack, and now we have it again.
Despite what folks say, puppy love isn’t such a bad thing at all. In fact, it’s probably one of the greatest forms of love out there. The puppy love we have today is a continuation of the love my family and I had – and still have – for our human Jack.
We’ve got a doggone lot of love for both of our Jacks. And we won’t stop howling about them anytime soon.