Dear Jake,
You were my first. My very first. I wasn’t your first; her name was Kelly, a beautiful, vivacious blonde whom you never forgot. I’m a redhead, and we’re known for being full of fun and laughter. But even years into our relationship, your head would turn and your steady gaze would follow any blonde who happened by. I noticed, knew there was nothing I could do, so I learned to live with it.
When I think about the day we met, I have to laugh. Like a gorgeous, golden dandelion, you sprang into the perfectly manicured, emerald lawn of my life. I didn’t want you. Not at all. It’s not that I didn’t like you, of course. Oh, no. It’s that I wasn’t ready to settle down. I wasn’t ready for the responsibility, or for what I saw as the burden of routine you would need and expect. You see, I enjoyed my freedom. I guess you could say I still had wild oats to sow. Yes, I’m saying it… it wasn’t you, it was me. I’ve never made such a confession to another living being. But I’ve learned to be humble—a lesson you patiently taught me over the course of our long and wonderful love affair.
I hope you can forgive my initial reluctance to make you a part of my life. If it’s any consolation, I want you to know that it took mere hours for you to steal the heart right out of my chest. I fell for you, Jake. I fell hard and fast. Whether it was those deep brown eyes or the undying devotion you offered from the start, I cannot say, but you swiftly became the love of my life. And it was a forever love.
You brought me unbounded joy, and it didn’t matter if I was ill or having a bad day or just plain grumpy, you were a steady source of love and comfort and companionship. You were my beautiful man, my handsome baby, my good, good boy. No other border collie could compare to my Jake, not in a million, jillion years.
Thank you for your loyalty. Thank you for your easy-going nature. Thank you for the protection, and for being there each and every time I opened the front door. Thank you for the many life lessons you taught me. I loved your silky black and white coat, your expressive eyes, your bushy tail that wagged at the sight of me, and your loving, happy-go-lucky personality.
I loved you then. I love you still. And I miss you terribly.
My sweet, beautiful Jake
One of my saddest, bleakest memories is our final visit to the vet. You fought the good fight, Jake. You tried valiantly to stay with me for as long as you could. But the seizures that wracked your body were just too painful, and finally we were both forced to surrender. It was an honor for me to spend those last moments with you, and I will never forget the soulful look we shared when our gazes met and held just before you closed your eyes forever. My heart broke, my tears streamed, and I thought my grief would never heal.
Jake, I imagine you racing across the wide open meadows of heaven, chasing birds and squirrels and windblown leaves… and I smile. Thank you for coming into my life, for expanding my heart with a love as big as the sky, a love I would otherwise have never known.
I will never forget you,
Donna
About Donna Fasano
Donna Fasano is an award-winning, bestselling author of romance novels and contemporary women's fiction. Her books have sold 3.6 million copies worldwide.
