Today marks five years since Sparkey left us for the next world and his Great Reward. His loyalty, unquestionable cuteness and intense way of tuning into the human world will always be remembered. Some dogs are very canine in their nature and behavior, but Sparkey---although quite the quintessential "dog's dog"---was also very much aware of the human dimension and seemed to be very sensitive to us on a variety of levels.
Occasionally, there are dogs whose physiognomy or personality (or both) remind us of Sparkey, and those moments conjure a sweet sadness that is not altogether disagreeable.
I sometimes wonder if Tina misses him, but she has also made plenty of dog friends since his passing. She even has a 2-year-old boyfriend named Barney who tries to play with Tina like Sparkey used to, but she is quick to put him in his place when he becomes too frisky.
Although his body is long gone and has since fed the verdant soil under the dogwood bush in our old yard in Massachusetts, Sparkey's spirit continues to shine, and for that continued connection and remembrance we are forever grateful.
