Clark Was There - By Michael Main We said goodbye to a dear and loyal friend this afternoon. My old dog Clark. Clark was the best dog I've ever had. He saw me through a lot. He was 3 months old when I got him, 15 years ago. He was a fence jumper. An escape artist. A bright, little dog who could coax you out of your food, or your warm spot on the bed. An unwavering friend. In recent years he's been an "old dog". He wouldn't jump off the couch. You'd have to push him, but his loyalty was constant. Clark was there when I got married to the wrong woman, wife 1.0. He was there when I got divorced. Actually he was supposed to go with the "beta wife" in the divorce, but I ended up with him. I claimed at the time that it was an inconvenience. In reality I needed very much to be needed. Clark was with me when I wasn't a very pleasant person. He saw me at my worst more often than my best. Clark saw me wrestle demons. Clark was there when I made the decision to listen to God again. Clark was with me in the Ozark Mountains aside a spring fed pool when I set a date to become clean and sober. He was there months later when I lived up to that promise. Most of my friends at the time disappeared after I made that decision. Clark was there. Clark was there when I met Amy. He grudgingly made room in his life for Amy and the kids in the tiny house we shared when we first got married. Clark and I used to take long walks in McAllister Park. Some days I'd get home and he'd see me reach for my walking shoes and the frenzy would begin. It wouldn't end until he could spring from the car onto the walkways and busy himself with the fascinations that surrounded us. Our kids never saw the Clark I remember. In recent weeks Clark wasn't the carefree dog of my memories, or the lazy dog of recent history. He seemed disoriented, unable to walk very far, unwilling to eat. Today I walked at McAllister alone. I feel closer to God when I walk. I've always been aware of His presence in nature. That's why I never understood when people say they need "proof" of God. I wonder how they can ignore all the proof I see. I see miracles. I listened to God today again, while walking. I realized it was time for me to be there for Clark. Return to Main page