Reminders of Heaven
December 7, 2023 Christmas was just around the corner, and the air was filled with the kind of magic only the holidays bring. My daughter had been talking about one thing for months—her dream of having a dog. Each time she mentioned it, her eyes sparkled with a longing that melted my heart. I decided there could be no better gift for her first real Christmas memory than the joy of a puppy. The idea consumed me and I knew what I had to do. I set off on an eight-hour journey, every mile filled with thoughts of her excitement, the sound of her laughter, and the warmth of her embrace when she saw the surprise. When I returned home, nestled in a soft blanket beside me was a golden retriever puppy—exactly the breed her mother had once suggested. As I held the puppy in my arms, the sight of his golden fur brought an unexpected rush of nostalgia. My mind drifted to my own childhood and my first dog, Shadow, a loyal chow chow with a name inspired by a beloved movie from my youth, Homeward Bound...