My Personal Greeter, My Silent Cheerleader

No matter how dreadful the day turned out to be, he could always be counted on to cheer me up. No matter how unfair life treated me, he never once turned his back on me. He would listen patiently and sit quietly beside me until my tears have dried and sleep has shut down my tired eyes. He never complained. He never questioned.

From the moment I laid eyes on him, I knew that he would bring great joy to my life. And I was right. Throughout the years we were together, he was always by my side. My personal greeter. My silent cheerleader.

It has been six years now. Six years, and he hasn't grown tired of me. He has always been a loyal companion who would sit by the gate, waiting for me to come home... waiting to greet me happily. And every time, he never failed to make me smile and forget my worries even just for a while. He never failed to make my heart race and paint a blush of color on my cheeks despite the heavy weariness at the end of a long day.

I can still remember how he looked like when he was given to me as a graduation gift. He was white and fluffy like a cute, tiny cotton ball, with soft streaks of golden brown which eventually faded as he grew older. He would curl up into the narrow space at the side of my bed 's mattress which was pushed to the wall, and snuggle there like a living stuffed toy. He would follow me faithfully whenever I walked in the streets, and would sometimes fall smack into the gutter where he fit perfectly! He would often get excited for no reason at all, bounding back and forth with his strong legs in our living room while barking with great enthusiasm. He was my very first pet, and my only pet up to this day. And I love him dearly.

As soon as I approach him in a sweet manner,
he turns to lie on his back and eagerly waits for his tummy to be scratched.

He used to lie down together with my "hotdog" pillows...

Mushie and I are inseparable! =)

Back in my childhood days until I was in college, I wasn't so fond of animals. I never imagined I would grow attached to one, looking for him first thing in the morning and looking forward to his greetings whenever I arrived home. He was not only a companion, but a cherished friend who has witnessed a lot of my pains and joys.

At home, we all talked to him like a person. We all treated him like family, the baby in the house. My mom would usually tell him, "Okay, go to ate now", referring to me as his older sister. And he would follow most of the time. He was smart, and he knew how to communicate his needs. Or perhaps we have grown so accustomed to his ways and he to ours that we simply understand each other easily already. He's such a cutie that we often love hugging him tightly until he started squirming or walking away. But no matter how irritating we probably were at times, he remained sweet and patient.

I called him Mushcka or Mushie. My personal greeter. How lonely it would be without him and how grim the dark house would be at night without his presence when I get home late. No matter how tired or sleepy he seemed to be, his tail would wag quickly the instant he sees me! Sometimes, he would just stay lying down on the floor with all fours spread out as if he was a little white carpet. But even if he doesn't get up, his tail would wag faster and faster as I drew nearer. I can't imagine not having him around.

It's difficult to accept that someday, there will only be deafening silence to greet me as I come home. No jumping up and down. No cocking furry head and raising ear. No cheerful bark. No wagging tail. Nothing at all... When that time comes, I know I'm going to miss him terribly. But nonetheless, I will be glad to have had him in my life. I will be thankful to have known him and to have acquired treasures of memories with him. I'll never forget him---my personal greeter, my silent cheerleader.