by Richard Biby, Contributing Editor (Broken Arrow, Oklahoma)

From time to time people tell me, lighten up it's just a dog or that's a lot of money for just a dog. They don't understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for just a dog. Some of my proudest moments have come about with just a dog. Many hours have passed and my only company was just a dog, but I did not once feel slighted. Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by just a dog and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of just a dog gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.

If you too, think it's just a dog, then you will probably understand phrases like just a friend, just a sunrise or just a promise. Just a dog brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. Just a dog brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person. Because of just a dog I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future. So for me and folks like me, it's not just a dog but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment. Just a dog brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they can understand that it's not just a dog but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being just a man. So the next time you hear the phrase just a dog, just smile, because they just don't understand