Bursting from a jumble of frisky tailwaggers romping on a neighbor's front lawn, she charges full at us. Flashing liquid-bown eyes sear with singular purpose. Rippling tricolor fur flies about in furious waves. She springs into our arms and we are captured. Ten pounds of love has just bounced into our life.

Justine came to us from nowhere, although we suspect fate's hand placed her purposely in our path. For twelve years, her life was inextricably intertwined with our own. Our spirited Lhasa Apso enriched our existence through more than simple companionship - she journeyed with us through life's bittersweet changes.

Each day was punctuated with delightful moments when we yelped with as much glee as our precious pooch. As we awoke each morning, a soft, furry greeting brightened our smile. Whether we were walking through the door after briefly checking the mail or returning home from a long day of work, jubilant spontaneous combustion erupted at the entryway. When we were in need, a tender nuzzle nurtured us, uplifted us, and made the world right again.

These are gifts Justine and other faithful pets give to all of us. Perhaps behaving more like out fuzzy, four-footed friends would mean creating a better world, for they are constant examples of patience, compassion, and devotion. More than anything else, they prove that a generous spirit is better than a selfish one. In the end, it's all about love.

"If there is a heaven, it's certain our animals are to be there," Pam Brown wrote. "Their lives become so interwoven with our own, it would take more than an archangel to disentange them."