My true love,

Many have come before you. All of them left me behind with a broken heart.

My heart was still healing when I first met you. A dark shadow followed every footstep I took, but you have healed all those old wounds and chased that shadow away.

Meeting you was something I never thought could happen to someone like me.

I’m quiet and shy.

You’re loud and boisterous.

I met you under the shade of a large oak where you sat. Your sad eyes, projecting your dark past, lit up as I walked closer. You smiled up at me, and I knew then that you had to be mine.

You were traded like an object, not a living thing. You were hurt emotionally and physically by someone you once trusted, but you continue to give your unconditional love.

You were scared and skittish, but you learned to trust me.

You still shy away when I raise my voice or lift my arms. That reaction alone is enough to fill me with a strong desire to hold you close, any anger completely dissipating.

You’re extremely needy. Your head never strays far from my lap or shoulder, and that’s okay.

You left me a few months back. Your absence caused me to fall into something deep and dark. That thing nearly swallowed me whole once again until the sound of your steps pounding up the stairs pulled me out.

I love you more than anything else in my life. The little things you do bring me insurmountable amounts of joy.

I love your tough exterior that melts away to reveal a center that’s as sweet and soft as marshmallow fluff.

I love the way you kiss me when you get excited.

I love the way you talk when you just want a hug.

I love the way you sleep next to me, your head resting on my legs.

I love that you follow me everywhere I go and that I can trust you to always come back to me.

I love the way you poke and prod me until I submit and go for a walk with you.

I love watching the way you run and jump through the snow.

I love the way you wear your white socks with pride.

I love the way your tongue sticks out and your tail wags every time you see me.

But most importantly, I love the way that you love me.