I know everyone who owns a pet feels that their pet is the best ever.  Fact is, they are right.  Pets bring us so much joy and unconditional love that they put our human ability to give and show love to shame.

Lucy was quite frankly one of the best people I have ever met.  Yes, I said people.  I don’t care that she had four legs and fur, she had a smile that could light up a room and a capacity to show love that makes calling her a person almost a dig on her.  She never stopped wanting to give that love and trying to do so, even when she was afraid or hurting.  Whenever I had to descend into a dark, scary place (like the basement), she always went first even though she was just as afraid as I, and she bravely lead the way into the unknown.

There was no human or animal that she didn’t love — I even caught the mailman petting her over the fence one day.  Whenever other animals in the neighborhood came by she always ran to greet them, her size surely scaring their owners.  However, as fast as I ran to intercept and allay their fears, she was faster — not wanting to waste one second to play and say “hi” to the animals and their owners, who then invariably looked at me like I was nuts for trying to stop this ball of love from getting to them in the first place.

She was also the peacemaker, always ready to charge in between two angry cats to break up a fight.  When she did this (and she did it often) she never barked or showed anger herself.  Instead, she simply walked between them, gave each cat a loving look that said “Come on guys, enough okay?” and just like that the brawl was over.

So today, as those who love her say goodbye (for now) to Lucy and worry that maybe we missed a little treat we could have given her, just one more ear scratch when the thunderstorm scared her, or one more dip in the bay, it behooves us to remember that we surely must have done something right, for God gave her to us for a time and she chose to stay as long as she could.

We love you pumpkin, and thank you for everything.

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