happy birthday, zane grey!

it's morning
 
you wake me,
gently licking my eyes,
or warmly nudging and nuzzling me with that beautiful, black snout,
or playfully throwing your furry weight against me,
then, with a wagging tail, you roll onto your back for a scratch and a rub,
your dark brown eyes full of excitement,
loving exuberance,
intensity,
“it's morning!”, you say,
and i blink sleepy eyes and smile,
“yes”, i say, “it's morning”
what a wonderful way to wake up.

zane was born two years ago today, in stockton, california.  it was perfect timing.  grover died two years ago on the 15th of this month.  grover's life and death taught me a lot about myself, about life, and broke my heart open in a way that has made me a better person.  
i wasn't myself without grover, without a dog in my life, without my dog. i found zane in early january of 2012, he was about eight weeks old.  from the moment we made eye contact i knew he was my dog.  he sat calmly and quietly, facing me, staring into my eyes, the whole ride home from stockton (more than a two hour drive)---we've been pretty inseparable since.
like grover, zane is a wonderful teacher of life and living.  he brings a joy and playful enthusiasm to every day and reminds me not to take things too seriously.
happy birthday, zane grey!