Seventeen years ago, my family and I brought home someone who made an impact on my childhood and our lives. Her name was Bella, named after the beauty that she possessed after choosing her out of all the other cute little puppies. She looked like a tiny ball of snow in the cage.
At the time, I was three years old and my brother was eight, so we just wanted a little furry friend to play with and have around. I was technically three years older than Bella, so as each year passed I grew up and, unfortunately, she grew older. She was very playful as a puppy, always thinking that it was enjoyable to run as fast as she could away from home and see how long it would take us to catch her. She enjoyed it, but my parents, not so much. My brother and I would always laugh and think it was funny, as we were out of breath trying to catch the flying puppy. Around Christmas time, Bella would run outside and love playing with the snow, but it was quite difficult trying to find her when the snow was heavy.
I enjoyed growing up with her along my side through it all: first holy communion, confirmation, first homecoming dance, prom, graduation and so much more. When my mother took pictures of every event in our lives Bella would be in the background posing. Essentially, this 10-pound dog was my little sister and constantly with me for 17 years. Through her own eyes, she could tell that we loved her very much, and she knew that this was her home and we were her family.
This dog had exhibited powers that humans were incapable of possessing. She just sat there with her innocent, glowing eyes and just listened to every moment of my life, especially when I experienced rough times or loss. Dogs are like humans, only that they do not judge or express hatred towards their owners. Whether we hosted an event at our home or our family from Italy came to visit, she was always very welcoming.
As the years passed by, she has become weaker and weaker. It was extremely sad to see that our own member of the family was slowing down. On May 9, 2016, my family and I took her to the veterinarian and decided to put her to sleep so that she would not suffer from the seizures or cancer that was taking her away. We wanted her to remember us as the people whom she loved and admired. In return, I wanted my best friend to go to a better place.
We love you Bella and thank you for being a blessing in our lives for so long. Enjoy heaven. There will always be a place for you in our hearts. You weren't just a dog, you were our family member.
