The Reid family lost Ricky on Sunday, November 19th. Writing the words is honestly almost more than I can take. Accepting them is the new reality with which I am faced. Greif does not do justice to my loss, but love does not do justice to how much Ricky means to me. For lack of a better word—love is what I will work with here. Shannon and Rich, and many of you reading this are heartbroken. I thank you for your love. Know that if Ricky knew you—-he loved you. That’s just what he was.

(Picture on the way)

I can only write this from my perspective, and from his. I met Ricky my Senior year of college. He was in the local pet shop in Nacogdoches, Texas. I would go to the shop whenever I needed a little pick-me-up. It just made me happy to be around the animals. One day I walked in, and my life would never be the same.

There was Ricky—-all 8 weeks of him. He was $450! I think I had $430 to my name. With some help, and some negotiations—-Ricky was mine for $400. It was the best $400 I ever spent.

Over the next 8 and a half years Ricky was so much more than a dog. Some of you reading this are not pet-people, and I understand that. You don’t have to “get it.” But if only you could, you would understand what you are missing out on. Ricky is not the smartest dog I ever had. Truth be told, he probably wasn’t an “A student.” Ricky was not exactly the best behaved—-he snuck food, tore up things from time to time he shouldn’t have, and believe it or not if you really hurt his feelings he might just pee on the floor out of spite while looking you straight in the eyes. What Ricky was though—at least to me—was the best dog I have ever had. Ricky weighed about 45 pounds for most of his life. I can’t believe God was able to fit a heart full of that much love into such a little body! And that really was Ricky—-unconditional love everyday of his life.

Ricky was always the first one to greet me when I got home. Ricky was always right under foot. Yes we tripped each other 4 times a day trying to get around, but that was ok because he was just letting me know how much he loved me. An empty bottle was always fair game, and there wasn’t a tennis ball in the neighborhood that he didn’t bring over wanting to play fetch with. His real favorite game was to offer a tennis ball, and then rip it away right before you got it. He could do that for hours, and every time he thought it was funnier than the time before it.

Most of all every minute, of every hour, of every day he was on this earth he was love. No matter what—-he just loved. And that is the greatest gift he gave. In all sincerity, I know what to expect when my time comes. Before I even get close to the gates, Ricky will come bounding toward me full speed with a tennis ball in his mouth and an “I love you—where have you been” in his eyes!!

In his time on this earth Ricky shared the following milestones of my life:

He was one of the Amigos in my college apartment
He graduated with me from college
He was my 1st roommate in “my own” apartment
He was my best friend when he moved with me from Texas to Maryland
He was my play buddy the 1st time either of us had ever been in 12 inches of snow
He was my late night friend that I wanted to hang out with while dating and hanging out as a bachelor—-I always wanted to be home by 11:30 to walk him—but honestly it was because I just wanted to hang out with him
He got to know and fall in love with Shannon as I did
He helped her to fall in love with me
He was there the night I proposed
He was in my life when we got married
He helped Shannon, Rich, and I become a family
He always ran up to give me a hug after several hundreds of frustrating days at the office—-and even more thousands of regular days at the office
He taught me that real love is letting go when you know it is what’s right for the one you love. He taught me through the example of his whole life to be selfless—and to love others more than you love yourself.

Ricky gave me a lifetime of love in his 8 and a half years. Because of that, I will love him for the rest of mine.

Ricky will always be loved—and never forgotten. Ricky’s spirit will live in me as long as I am here. At the end of my days, we will play catch again—-if I can ever get him to give me the tennis ball.