This collection of memoirs arose from the author's induction into the world of parenting at age 55. A widower the year before, he had long ago put away any thoughts of having or raising children. Enter the love of his life who happens to have two children and in short time he is being quizzed on his diapering skills. Holding his first grandchild he is struck by the realization that the love of a child does not require a biological connection - it is innate. Each contact recorded in these memoirs illustrates that it is in our nature to love and nurture a child and that perhaps this is even...

Depression after the loss of your lifelong companion, blindness, cancer surgery, advancing age and its effects on your entire body. These are common occurrences in our lives and are often the source of stress and anxiety. As a physician, I see daily the consequences of these events on my patients. Quite often the results are devastating, contributing to further illness and reducing not only the quality of life but also how long we live. But what if the animal faced with these events wasn't human? What if the species was canine? Would the results be different? Can we learn from another...