There is no doubt that I truly feel that we learn some of our life' s lessons from our pets. From Ozzie I learned Patience， Trust and Love. The biggest lesson to me was when things get out of control and you are nearing the end of your rope， help someone who is in worse shape， then you can take your mind off yourself. This was what happened to me when Ozzie was sick. I had many problems at that time， but I focused on caring for Ozzie， and it helped me release a lot of stress and worry when I was not thinking about myself.
I took some vacation time from my job and made Ozzie as comfortable as I could. After all we had been through a lot together and he deserved it.
On February 1， 1991 Ozzie died. He was 16 years old.
I had picked him up and was whispering to him what a brave and wonderful companion he had been， but it was okay if he had to leave me. I promised him I would be okay. With that he weakly barked his goodbye.
I had him cremated and his ashes scattered under a beautiful tree on the Pet Cemetery grounds.
At the time my boss viewed a loss of a pet the same as the loss of a family member and gave me some time off.
My heart was broken in a million pieces. I said I would be okay and I had made a promise so life went on. I still miss Ozzie and it' s been 10 years！ He made a lasting impression and impact on my life so deep that it has taken me this long to write about it.
I feel he is always with me， and will always hold a special place in my heart that has had time to heal since his passing.
A few months after Ozzie' s death I had fallen asleep and had a dream about Ozzie barking very loud in my ear. I woke with a start to the smell of smoke. I had left a pan on the stove， and Ozzie woke me up！
So， for all you animal lovers remember your pets are with you for a reason. Sometimes you discover it while they are with you and sometimes not until they are gone. Enjoy your time with your pets you will be surprised what life lessons you can learn.
I am very honored and grateful for having Ozzie in my life.
About a year after Ozzie' s death， I was sitting at the kitchen table. It was a rainy day and I was sorting through papers.
I heard a very loud "bark" at the back door.
Ah！That' s another story...
我養了一輩子的狗。記得很久以前，我家就一直養狗。因此，我對狗的喜愛也與日俱增。那些總帶給我感動的狗，有的是別人送的，有的是自己跑來的。我覺得那些自己跑來的狗很特別，他們總是讓我驚喜萬分，而且從他們身上我也學到了很多珍貴的東西。
當我對未來充滿迷茫時，奧齊走進了我的生活。那時，不到30歲的我還不願為自己的行為負起責任，內心充滿了消極想法，也不願相信任何人。
後來，在發生的一連串事情中，我認識了兩個盲童。他們擁有兩隻漂亮的導盲犬以及你猜得到的，是奧齊！
他們告訴我他叫奧齊，大約兩歲，是被從前的租戶拋棄的。盡管他們一直盡力照顧他，但依然覺得那裏的環境對奧齊來說不夠舒適。長久以來，奧齊已經和他們形影不離，但他們真的希望他能有一個好去處。
我當時並不想養寵物，因此這是我最不願做的事情。但為了哄這兩個男孩，我走進了奧齊的房間。我叫了他，但並沒有得到回應。於是，我試探說：“奧齊，你願意跟我回家嗎？”一隻漂亮的黑狗從床底鑽了出來，他有著一雙我所見過的最大的眼睛。
他走到我身邊，汪汪地叫了幾聲。我理解他所說的意思：“還等什麽呢？我們走吧！”他抓住了我的心，完全打動了我。我們持久的關係從此開始了。我們安定了下來。可以說，時至今日，每當想起我們在一起的那些時光，我都會驚異於自己學到了那麽多東西。
居於首位的就是無條件的愛。無論我心情如何，奧齊總會像讀一本書一樣來理解我。
我覺得這實在令人驚奇。
他會用自己的方式讓我知道他理解我，並安慰我，以便很快治療我受傷的心！
當我悲傷時，他會待在我的身邊，凝視著我。如今，想起那種姿態，我依然會感動地落淚。他會伸出爪子，溫柔地撫摸著我的臉。無論之前多麽煩惱，但你可以想象得到那一刻世界會變得多麽美好。
我們第一次共同經曆了地震。多麽難忘的回憶啊！我們被地震晃得東倒西歪，於是我抓緊奧齊躲在了門框裏。我對他說，大自然母親在打嗝，和我一樣恐懼的他似乎明白我在盡力安慰他。
地震過後，我將一些行李裝進袋子，放到車裏。看我忙著，奧齊似乎知道我要做什麽。當我準備離開時，他跳進袋子，汪汪地叫著。我明白他的意思：“嘿，不要丟下我。”當你經曆了這些時刻，就會明白那是多麽特別。因為他象征著包含肢體語言在內的特殊感情紐帶的形成，而且更令人無法忘懷的是，這一切居然發生在一隻狗的身上。
我一直認為奧齊有理解某些話的特異功能。早晨起來，我會大叫：“吃早飯了。”奧齊會馬上跳下床衝向廚房。而我會假裝回去睡覺。我會這樣逗他兩次，第三次才會說：“吃早飯了。”這時，奧齊會停下來，看著我，仿佛在說：“不！我知道你在人！”
一直以來，奧齊都很健康，也從不挑食。如果我喂的飯不合他的胃口，我就會說：“吃點兒吧，我下次再也不會買了。”驚奇的是，他真的吃了！我給他洗澡，他很樂意。
奧齊15歲時，也就相當於人類的105歲，他確實老了。他得了西特斯綜合症。對公狗來說，這是一種致命的疾病。如果得不到治療，他就無法排泄。於是當他發病時，我就必須馬上帶他去看獸醫。就這樣過了幾個月，獸醫才給了我有效的藥，治好了他。我要確保他吃了藥，並好好地照看著他。獸醫說，像奧齊這樣的年紀，就不要抱什麽希望了。但他康複得很好。
我們居住的地方隻有奧齊一隻狗。說實在的，他也是唯一的寵物，因此就成了吉祥物，在鄰裏間很受歡ó 。每當他去串門，鄰居們都會很高興地用他最愛吃的肉來招待他。
奧齊生病大約一年後，漸漸喪失了視力和聽力，腸道功能也失調了。我不得不跟在他的身後清理衛生，用點滴器喂他。我明白他已經時日不多，我想讓他在熟悉的環境中離去。
我們一起走過的路是那麽長！生命中能夠擁有奧齊，我深感榮幸。
毋庸置疑，我的確認為我們能從寵物身上學到一些東西。我從奧齊身上學到了耐心、信任和愛。當事情萬分嚴重，你處於崩潰邊緣時，幫助更艱難的人會讓你忘記自己的困難。奧齊生病時，我就是這樣做的。當時真是禍不單行，但我全身心地照顧奧齊，便不再總想著自己，我的壓力和擔憂也隨之減輕了。
為了能讓奧齊過得更加舒適些，我休息了一段時間。我們在一起經曆了那麽多風風雨雨，我理應為他做些事情。
1991年2月1日，奧齊去世了，當時他16歲。
我將他抱起，輕聲地對他說，他是一個勇敢的好伴侶，如果他必須離開我，也沒有關係。我答應他，我會好好的。伴著我的許諾，他汪汪地叫著，虛弱地向我道別。
我將他火化了，然後把骨灰埋在了寵物公墓裏一棵漂亮的樹下。
那時，老板看到，失去一隻寵物對我來說就像失去了一位親人，於是便給我放了幾天假。
我的心碎了。但我說過我會好好的，也作過承諾，因此我會繼續好好生活。轉眼10年過去了，我依然想念著奧齊。他給我的生活帶來了深刻而持久的影響，因此我花了這麽久的時間寫下了這一切。
我感覺他從未離開過我，而且會永遠活在我的心中。自從他去世後，我不得不花時間來療養心傷。
奧齊去世幾個月後，我在睡夢中聽到奧齊在我的耳邊汪汪地大叫。我醒來便馬上聞到了煙味。爐子上的鍋著火了，是奧齊將我叫醒的。
因此，所有愛動物的朋友們請記住，能與你們的寵物相伴正是因為某種機緣所在。也許，與他們相處時你就會領悟到這一點，但有時隻有在失去他們時你才會明白。盡情享受與寵物們在一起的美好時光吧，你會驚奇地發現，從他們身上，你可以學到許多生命的真諦。
生命中能擁有奧齊，我感到萬分榮幸，萬分感激。
一個下雨天，我坐在餐桌旁，整理著資料，這時奧齊已經去世一年了。
我聽到了很大的“汪汪”聲從後門傳來。
噢！那是另一段故事了
萬般牽掛
Innocent Homeless
洛裏·S. 莫爾 / Lori S. Mohr
The hastily scrawled sign on the crumpled cardboard read： BROKE—NEED DOG FOOD. The desperate young man held the sign in one hand and a leash in the other as he paced back and forth on the busy corner in downtown Las Vegas.
Attached to the leash was a husky pup no more than a year old. Not far from them was an older dog of the same breed， chained to a lamppost. He was howling into the brisk chill of the approaching winter evening， with a wail that could be heard for blocks. It was as though he knew his own fate， for the sign that was propped next to him read： FOR SALE.
Forgetting about my own destination， I quickly turned the car around and made a beeline back toward the homeless trio. For years， I' ve kept dog and cat food in the trunk of my car for stray or hungry animals I often find. It' s been a way of helping those I couldn' t take in. It' s also what I' ve used to coax many a scared dog off the road to safety. Helping needy animals has always been an automatic decision for me.