My y best friend rescued a Yellow lab almost three years ago- his name is Zeke

Zeke has issues 
I am one of the few people he trusts – and this baffled everyone until I told one of my friends about the first time I met Zeke
It seems that everyone approached him with caution, having heard that he had Issues
I sat down on the floor and held out my arms to him
He climbed all over me, jumped on me, mouthed me – pretty hard but didn’t break skin – and I laughed and laughed
It seems that I established myself as not as threat and just a playmate

I’m quite proud of this, of Zeke for accepting my love, and of myself for offering it so easily

I walked out that night with bruises on my body, but joy in my heart

Zeke still has issues, and I still get on the floor with him, and he still jumps all over me and leaves me with bruises – and he still makes me smile.   

I so often feel that I’ve failed the ones I love.   I haven’t failed Zeke.