Yesterday, of course, was the thirteenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. One of the things that caught my attention yesterday was a beautiful series of dog portraits that were created by photographer Charlotte Dumas. These were search and rescue dogs that served during 9/11 and, as Dumas has written, “somehow emanated a spark of hope amidst [that] scene of destruction.” The striking part, to me, was the fact that the photos were taken a decade after those terrible events, showing these good and faithful canine servants in their old age. It will bring a tear to the eyes of people who’ve experienced the unconditional love of a dog, especially an old dog, through the many ups and downs that we all face as vulnerable human beings in this life.

The Willard household includes not only a new puppy, named Birdie, but also a nine-year-old, mixed-breed, black Lab, named Tippet. Our mature canine has witnessed lots of changes through the years, and she’s been a source of constant love in the midst of those different chapters in our life together. Here’s a picture that shows both of them and reveals a bit of greying on the muzzle of Tippet:

This week, let’s write haiku about the dogs and other animals that we’ve known — or wished that we could’ve known — in our lives. It might be about cats, hamsters, noble horses, or even dead armadillos! Be creative and have fun with one verse that has five syllables in the first line, seven syllables in the second line, and five syllables in the third line. This is the haiku that immediately came to mind for me:

Tippet, she has watched
our babies turn into boys,
loving them always.