by David Stalling
For more than ten beautiful years,
you’ve been by my side,
my wild, funny, sweet chocolate girl,
with the biggest heart
and the most beautiful soul.
You’ve made life more fun,
more joyful,
and definitely more adventurous.
We’ve chased trails,
wandered wild places,
laughed at your crazy ways,
and shared more adventures
than I could ever count.
But it’s the quiet moments
I treasure just as much.
When life gets hard,
you’re there.
When I’m happy,
you’re there.
You’ve been my constant companion,
my comfort,
my shadow,
and my very best friend.
And Pika, you are so sweet,
the kind of sweetness
that can soften the hardest day.
There’s something about the way
you lean close,
the way you look at me,
the way you simply want to be near me
that says everything
without saying a word.
And those eyes. . .
Those beautiful, warm golden eyes,
seem to hold a whole world inside them.
Eyes full of love,
curiosity, mischief,
and a sweetness that goes straight to my heart.
Sometimes I look into your eyes
and wonder how you can possibly know me
as well as you do.
Somehow, you always seem to know
when I need you most.
You don’t need words.
You just stay close,
with those beautiful eyes,
your sweet face,
and that loving Pika heart.
You are wild and wonderful,
a little bit crazy,
incredibly sweet,
and completely, perfectly you.
And after all these years,
I still look at you and think
how lucky I am
that we get to keep having adventures together.
So here’s to more trails,
more laughter,
more muddy paws,
more sunshine,
more wild adventures,
and more quiet moments
with my beautiful girl.
Pika, you are my joy,
my wild-hearted companion,
my sweet soul,
and my best friend.
And I’m so grateful
for every beautiful day
and every adventure
still ahead of us.
No love can match theirs. We are not capable of it.
I understand this completely.