It’s been 6 months and I still grab 3 treats even though only two dogs come in.

I put a tattoo of us on my body so I wouldn’t forget you. But who am I kidding? Forgetting you was never even a remote possibility. You’re the wallpaper on my computer. Your pictures stream on the digital picture frame on my desk. Your hair is on my clothes. The tag from your collar is my keychain.

Even without any of those things, I could never forget you. I still see you. When I look out in the backyard, I see your little white body walking towards the house. When I’m in my car, I see your eager little face pop out from in between the seats as you stand on that center console. When I wake in the morning, I feel your soft little body on my pillow. When I roll down the car window, I see your sweet face with the wind blowing your hair back as you try to absorb everything around you.

I read some random comment from some random person on some random website and it said, “My Henry was ‘the one.’ I mean, I’ve had other dogs since him, but he was the one.”

You are the one, my precious boy.

Your birthday is today. You would be 17.

I remind myself that I should be grateful that I had you in my life for over 16 years. And I am so very grateful for that. I mean, 16 years. You were there with me at the very rough end of two relationships and some very, very rough patches.

You were with me after the accident. You were with me through depression, anxiety, mania. You were with me after the stroke. You patiently listened to me repeat words over and over as I was teaching myself to talk again.

And you always had something to say in return. I can’t believe I miss the barking. But I do. Desperately.

You, sir, were the best part of me. You trusted me implicitly and in doing so made me trustworthy. You taught me the purest love I’ve ever known. I would give you anything, do anything for you, and I wanted nothing in return but your happiness. Your tail wagging was all I needed. You helped me realize that I could be loving and that I could share love. And that I was lovable. You knew my moods, you knew ME and you loved me anyway.

I know you loved me. You would wait, staring out the window, for me to return. When you would see me, your tail would wag and you’d prance over to me. That was everything to me.

So I knew when you lay dying, that I would be there with you until you drew your last breath. I would hold you, pet you, and let you in on a secret.

Throughout your life, when I asked you who was my good boy, it was always you. It was always you.