I am constantly amazed at how much my dog Charlie loves me. There’s no logical explanation. I feed and water him, but other than that, my care of him is very sporadic depending on how I am feeling that particular day. For the past few weeks I have been especially negligent, not even playing ball with him, which is a retriever’s reason for being.

Today, while I was sitting in bed reading, I noticed Charlie sitting outside my sliding glass door. This isn’t unusual. What is unusual was that it was pouring down rain. He had a little shelter, but not much. When I got up and went into the kitchen, Charlie walked back through the rain and into the covered patio. When I went back to my room, he retraced his steps into the rain and assumed his position in front of my door. Then he put his ball down and looked at me as if to say, “Will you play ball with me?”

Not only does he love me unconditionally; Charlie never gives up hope in me…two things that are vitally important to a chronically ill person. And out of today’s experience I regained the inspiration to write again after weeks of being unproductive.

Hope and love…gifts from above.

— Annabel Hobbs, Florida

From her book, “Making the Best of Orders to Rest” (Winepress Publishing, 2002)