Damien---'The Meatball Dog'

Dogs are a gift from God and they come into our lives to bestow upon us the gift of unconditional love. Sometimes they are sent to a young boy so he will always have that snap shot memory of his first dog. This gift was bestowed upon us by our beloved family dog Damien. When we say all dogs go to heaven, sometimes I wonder if we really believe that or understand it's true meaning. I for one really believe that dogs do go to heaven and we are the recipients of the love and heartfelt memories they leave behind. After all, isn't what we leave behind what life's all about anyhow?

I make reference to Damien as "the meatball dog' simply because every Sunday he would be first in line to test my meatballs to make sure they were good enough to be scarfed down by humans. I am quite sure that he had some Italian blood flowing through his precious veins, his heart filled with the love only he could leave behind, filling our hearts with the memories of him that each of us can cherish each and every day.

Let us not forget this great champion of love and dedication for he has taught us one of life's greatest lessons, unconditional love is the only reason we live, and sometimes in life it takes the memories of a loving dog to allow us to share our love with others. The gift of memories are all we have to leave behind when we get the call. He had the heart of a lion, the soul of an angel. He was family.

We don't always get the chance to say good bye to our loved ones before we go, even though we know we must and should. As humans we actually get to use our voices to speak to those we leave behind and tell them how much we love them. Mighty Damian could not speak or bark the words of love, but at the moments before he left us he was alone with his master, and got to send his eternal love for him to live in his heart forever. With his last glimpse of his man love, he closed his eyes and took his final breath.

God bless you Damien, thank you for your gift to us of your unconditional love for us, you will live in our hearts forever. If there is a heaven and they have meatballs there, I am sure Damien will be first in line.

For some of you who haven't heard this before, dog is God spelled backwards, not to be taken lightly.
Let us never forget, the love for a dog and his love for us is a piece of the fabric that holds America together.

Good bye Damien, sleep in heavenly peace.