Whenever I visited my grandfather, he always preferred to be alone, rejecting any attempts to engage with others. I decided to change that by introducing him to a small dog I had rescued from the street.
He named the dog ‘Chirulin,’ and they quickly became inseparable, enjoying activities together like sunbathing, eating, going for walks, and watching TV.
Recently, my grandfather fell ill, and during his hospital stay, he wrote me a letter outlining how to care for ‘Chirulin’ in case he didn’t make it. He even included his special recipe for the soup he prepares for the dog. In that moment, all I could think about was asking him to write me a recipe for living without him.
He entrusted ‘Chirulin’ to our entire family. When he was discharged from the hospital, we brought ‘Chirulin’ to him. My grandfather hugged the dog tightly and whispered,
“We need to hurry and do all the things we’ve left to do together; there’s not much time,” breaking into laughter. He had made a list of activities he wanted to share with his faithful companion.
Seeing the bond between them, it’s evident how much they love each other.
To those who say that pets are “just animals,” I would respond: “Animals are a gift for the soul, teaching us tolerance, respect, and love—the kind that unites rather than divides. Loving them teaches us how to truly love.”