They come into this world as angels,
blessed with a brief time among us,
and then, when their journey is done,
they quietly take their leave.

They fill our lives with joy and sorrow,
and then depart this world,
as though they had come to us
to leave behind a message—

perhaps to teach us
the secret of finding happiness.

With powerful legs firmly rooted to the earth,
their heads held proudly high,
a magnificent white ruff upon their chests,
their golden coats shimmering in the light of the setting sun,
and the gentle wind flowing through their fur
as they gaze far into the distance—

what a breathtakingly beautiful sight.

And when we behold them in such a moment,
we know, without a doubt,
that they are gifts bestowed upon us by God.

I sometimes wonder
whether those who gave them the name “Dog”
long ago already knew this.

Perhaps, without our knowing,
they left us a little secret—
a way for us to discover the truth
when the time came.

For turn the word “Dog” around,
and it becomes “God.”

And when their strength finally leaves them,
when they gently surrender their bodies to the earth
and take their final leave of us,
I will lean close to them
and softly whisper into their ears,
with all the gratitude in my heart:

“Thank you.”

And then, with all the love
they have given me,
I will whisper:

“I love you.”

— Kazuaki Yokoyama