In memory of my loyal friend

The pet dog is the most fortunate living being. It is the only being that recieves and reflects instant unconditional love in the world. Most of the people, no matter howmuch they love their parents or siblings or wife or kids, do not go about showing and sharing their love to them all the time. No matter how close the relationship is, it has its own share of tussles , anger or just plain nothing moments. But when it comes to a pet dog, it brings out immediate love and joy from anyone. It's instant gratification. A pet dog can bring the smile out of anyone in the world. Afterall its the only being that does not expect anything from you except for an odd gentle tap on its back.

I had enjoyed my own moments of such unlimited love. I have had pet dogs in the past but nothing stayed longer with us for various reasons. And as a family, we always had a longing to have one. Almost two years ago when we moved to a bigger house, the situation just seemed to be right to grow a dog. We got a pet dog. Its a white, furry breed between pomeranian and 'god-knows-what' variety. And over the two years it grew as massive as its almost even scary to take liberty towards it. It had six fingers which someone said as a sign of cleverness. So I named it Newton.

Newton used to be so alert that even a mosquito could not enter our premises without it's notice. At times we had noticed it sitting erect and alert watching the each and every corner of the outside of our house even at midnight. The love it had towards our family was unwavering. During the times of difficulty it was the source of solace for all of us. And though we never encouraged it to enter inside the house, we got used to the image of looking at its happy face and jumping massive frame everytime we entered in or went out of our home.

It was especially dear to me. Months after we got Newton, I was abroad for almost a year and never got a chance to visit my home during this period. The moment is still fresh in my memory, when I returned home after year and Newton was jumping and crying and hawling from the moment it saw me. During the evenings we used to leave it free and it runs around the house in such a mad pace that there was no tomorrow. Just a sight of it when we enter the house would make us forgot whatever happened outside and a sense of pleasure and pride creeps in our heart.

For all that it has done, I should have done more and spent more time with it. Newton died today. It happened due to some complications arised from food poisoning. I still remember the time, I tried to take a photograph with it, but was unsuccessful due to its repeated protest. I thought I could always take one later, when it was in a better mood. Ironically that moment never happened. It was just 2 years old and still in its infancy which made it even more harder for us to grasp.

This is not an isolated moment. Just before when we bought Newton, we were unfortunate to loose another pet dog (Juno) at a young age too. And with Newton, it has become two in a row. The gigantic frame which is not prevalent for its breed and its child like scowl everytime when it looks at me are sights that can never be forgotten. The thought that I could not be with it at the time of difficulty and sorrow, makes me wonder what I could be missing from the near and dear ones while I toil away from them to make money for a living. But as my family says, this poor being has taken our shelter, carried our karma with it and ceased to live so that it can be born again in a higher state of embodiment.

We owe you, my dear friend, live longer wherever you are born again!!