Sunday, July 21, 2013

Love

I am blessed to be loved.  I am blessed to have someone waiting for me when I come home, deliriously happy to see me.  She loves to cuddle, she loves to play, and she loves to steal the bed from me inch by inch as I sleep.  She makes me smile, laugh, and occasionally shake my head in frustration.  But, always, she loves me.  She is my Gracie.

  Here is a wonderful story of how love is a two way street.  How we are better people because we love, not who we love.    Hugs.  randy.

http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/07/19/schoep-the-arthritic-dog-made-famous-in-viral-photo-dies-at-age-20/?utm_source=cnn.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=editorial&hpt=hp_t3

Animals can become viral stars for any number of reasons: a hilariously grumpy face, an exquisite fashion sense or even just a ridiculous amount of cuteness. But Schoep, the German Shepherd mix who just died at age 20 on Wednesday, owed his internet fame to a photograph taken last summer.

The original image, captured by photographer Hannah Stonehouse Hudson, featured the dog and his owner, John Unger, sharing a peaceful moment in Lake Superior. As the Pioneer Press reports, Unger, of Bayfield, Wisc., began taking his then 19-year-old pet into the water to help soothe the dog’s joint pain from arthritis. The buoyancy of the water, he found, helped lull Schoep to sleep. Unger’s friend Hudson, who wanted to capture the pair’s relationship, snapped the now-famous photo one evening and posted it on Facebook. The touching image soon swept across the web, turning Schoep into a canine celebrity. The original photo has been shared more than 214,000 times over the past year and helped raise funds for the elderly dog’s care. Animal lovers from across the globe donated more than $25,000 to cover veterinary bills, laser eye treatments and medications not just for Schoep, but for other aging dogs from low-income families in need of special care as well.

But unfortunately, just a month after celebrating his 20th birthday, Schoep has passed away.


Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/07/19/schoep-the-arthritic-dog-made-famous-in-viral-photo-dies-at-age-20/#ixzz2ZhyoSEHY


A quick note:  20 years old for a German Shepherd is fabulous longevity.  r.
Here is another example of love:  http://scottiestoybox.com/2013/07/20/a-soldier-is-welcomed-home-by-loving-pup/