Recently I got a new best friend named Teddy. He is my new sunshine, along with my younger brother. Every time I get stressed or overwhelmed at school, I can call them and instantly feel less like the world is closing in on me. Teddy is a golden retriever who is just about 10 weeks old now. He is full of happiness and joy all the time.
Although often times after we are done playing with him, he is very sleepy and needs to nap until his next play time. He is a really good sleeper. He can fall asleep in minutes and you can hold him in your arms like a little baby. He is my little precious bean and I can’t wait till the next time I go home to see him.
The first night I met Teddy, my dad told me there was an emergency at the house and I needed to take the next Amtrak out of Durham as soon as possible. I was on the 7:30 train that night. One hour later I arrived to my parents at the Woburn, Massachusetts train where my dad greeted me. My little brother along with my mom turned the corner and walked over to me. I thought it was weird that everyone was here to pick me up, and then I saw. They were holding this little golden ball of fluff. Immediately I was overcome with emotion.
My 10-year-old brother and I fought over who got to hold him on our drive home, until I suggested that we sit close enough where he can sit in between us and he can lean on the both of us.
You see, I used to have a golden retriever named Rocky. He was my heart and soul. We got through middle school and high school together. Every period meltdown, every panic attack that lasted too long, every stressed night about tests in school or every fight with my friends in school, he was there. We walked, I would talk, I felt like sometimes he could understand me but it was probably my overall state that he picked up whether I was happy, sad or nervous. He lived a long and happy life, but unfortunately his time came in mid-June of 2019 just a few days before his 11th birthday. Having a puppy around the house completes me. They silently comfort you with their love and kisses until you cannot resist. They are smart and funny and full of compassion.
I am excited for what is in store for my new puppy and hope that, with some of Rocky’s old toys, he will feel at home and love us as much as we already love him. I don’t feel like we have replaced Rocky, but that Teddy can feel honored to walks in Rocky’s footsteps within our home. We already have so much love for him. He is beginning to learn how to play fetch and that he cannot chew on anything for teething except his toys and our fingers when we allow him, as we know his teeth are trying to come in and they need some help. My little brother gets up for school every day at 7 am, ready to take Teddy out for his morning pee and give him his big breakfast for the young growing puppy. Teddy gets lots of walks and play time with my little brother when I am not home from college. But when I arrive home, I am always quick to take him to the park to chase after a ball or run down the beach. Teddy hasn’t quite gotten the hang of playing fetch yet, so we run after the ball together and I get it from him after he has picked it up and chewed it for a minute or so. I can’t wait to grow up more with him by my side. I have loved him since the minute I met him, and it only grows stronger each day. I am truly excited for the connections I will make with him in our years to come.