You've forgiven me for every mistake I've made, and would forgive me a thousand times more.
I often wake you up by stroking your ears in the middle of the night because I need to know you are still there, and you've never once become annoyed.
You crawl under the covers with me when the room is cold, and you're endlessly patient with me as I toss and turn.
You've tried to protect me from everything, from strangers walking down the street to old shoes. You will always raise your voice to defend me, even if I don't act grateful to you for your efforts.
You've always let me dress you in whatever clothing I thought would be cute, even when you found the outfit itchy, because you didn't want to say no to your favorite person.
You're the only one I've ever cooked for who never offered one word of complaint.
You've always done what you can to support me, even when you really don't understand what I'm doing at all.
At times when we argue, it's always you who forgives first, and you wait for me to come around with a degree of patience most humans can't replicate.
No matter how awful you're feeling, or how sad you may be, you always have a smile for me when I walk into the room.
I know you are just a dog, but it was you who showed me that I am worthy both of loving and of being loved. You've taught me things that no human being could, try though they might. You taught me not by conscious choice, but by simply being who you are.
I don't know how I'm going to live without you when you go. I don't know how much time is left, but I'm living in dread of the day when you're at my side no longer, when you go to rest in Jesus' care.
Am I strong enough to go on living and learning without you here? I don't know, but I know it wouldn't be fair to you if I didn't try. I don't want you to look at me from the other side of the veil and see a creature discouraged and destroyed.
It hurts me that I will lose you, Belle, but I won't forget what you taught me. I feel that the best way I can thank you is to continue to grow, even if it hurts.