More than 80% of the population in Latin America has a dog in their care, but I was out of that group. I thought dogs were cute and cuddly, but neither my family or I ever thought about having one. Taking care of him, feeding him or worrying about his health were the biggest problems we had with it. Funny to read all this now, isn’t it?
I don’t remember the exact time or situation when my family decided to get a dog. I just remember it was 2017. A 15-year-old boy came home from school, and his family had the news that they were adopting a dog, and it was coming the next month. I decided on its name. I named it Linc, like one of the main characters from “Prison Break,” one of my favorite TV shows. One month later, I only remember seeing a small golden dog arrive at my house, walking slowly, shy and with a totally innocent face. After more than seven years by his side and with thousands of experiences to tell, I ask myself, did I really save him by adopting him? Or, did he save me?
Having a dog gives you a totally different point of view to what one normally thinks. Besides the responsibility and care that one must have, taking care of a dog gives you the opportunity to realize that many times love goes beyond words, that you can show it without saying a word and that you can make another person happy just with actions. That’s Linc, a dog who loves to nag, but yet I haven’t seen anyone more loving than him. For the last few years, he´s had to have surgery for a tumor every seven months, and after each one, I see someone who looks as if nothing is wrong with him. If dogs can keep their good mood after difficult situations, why can’t we try to do it?
He teaches me daily that you can make someone else happy even without realizing it. That you don’t need a lot of words, or even any at all, to change someone’s day. For that and many more reasons, every time I leave, I suffer a lot because I know he will no longer be with me someday. My love for him is out of this world. I’m sure I could find it in other dogs, but the first one is never forgotten, and I will always have him in my heart.
And, yes, answering my question at the beginning, it’s very clear to me that he saved me. I’m sure that, like me, other people thought they were saving a dog, without knowing how happy they would be with them. I know it’s very difficult to learn from someone who is not a human, but I assure you that if we open our minds, we can learn many things from dogs that will help us in our lives.
And for you Linc, I know you will never read this. And you won’t understand me when I tell you, but thank you. I love you so much.
