Dog Owner Scholarship

I grew up with two golden retrievers “Chloe” and “Gracie”. I also had a 50-gallon fish tank in my room for 12 years. My thoughts on pets are that they are not really pets. I could argue that they are better than family or friends. We lost Chloe two years ago at the age of 5. She had throat cancer. Came on suddenly and she passed away within weeks of bringing her to the vet. I never knew how much I could love something. Her passing was so quick and sudden that I was not capable of coping with the situation. At 16 years old, I found out for the first time what real love is and what real pain is. I never realized up to that point how temporary everything is. Chloe taught me to appreciate each day as she did. The unconditional love animals give is amazing. My dogs and even my fish are always happy to see me. No matter what kind of day I am having, they always give. I am generally a hopeful person. I know I get that from them. Every day they give you that boost of positivity and love. That spark of hope they provide daily has kept me going more than once in my life. Ask yourself, where would you be if you had no hope in your life? Today I went for a 5-mile walk with my dog. We walk the road at Superior Point in Superior, Wisconsin. My body feels great after a long walk. My joints and muscles get a workout without it being strenuous. My lungs enjoy all that fresh outdoor air. I also enjoy the smell of pine forest. Those brisk walks clear my mind of all that life stuff I have to do for a couple of hours. Today I saw two bald eagles, a pack of ravens, and my dog Gracie chased a fox. I talked to an ice fisherman before I got in the car to leave. He showed me his catch for the day. He had a couple of good stories that provided a chuckle or two. I mention this story because I would never go walking 5 miles on my own. Gracie needs to get her exercise and she demands her walk every day. All that fun would not happen without her. Gracie loves her walks with me. She does wonders for me. I am happy watching her be happy. Speaking of happy, I am amazed at how happy Gracie is every day. I often look at her and wish I could have what she has. Food, sleep, some pets, and a good walk and she is happy all the time. A very happy simple life that makes me think we humans are doing things the wrong way. I try to keep life simple for myself. I learned that from her. In conclusion, my pets bring happiness and hope to my life. When you are filled up with hope and happiness you tend to share it with others. Maybe if everyone had pets the world would be a better place. I appreciate the scholarship committee taking the time to read my essay.