Campbell Crew: Picture. Zap. Memories.

A picture is worth a thousand words. That's what 'they' say anyway. Not to add the emotions that can be evoked. I certainly experienced that this weekend - more specifically this morning - when one of my cousins posted a picture of their new dog.

Handsome. Beautiful. Sleek. Athletic. Protector. Friend.

These are some of the words that entered my mind. Not out of the ordinary. What I didn't fully expect was the strength of the emotions the image of their dog stirred within me.

He is a midnight black short-haired German Shepherd. They haven't told me that but I can tell by the photo. He looks like he could be the twin brother of my childhood dog Besch and her sister Missy (my Grandparents owned her). Missy's hair was wavy on her back and Besch's was pin straight. That's how my Dad taught me to tell them apart when they were together. Oh the fun they had running around the yard and playing fetch with a stick. I loved her so much and have shared many stories with my boys.

Today I missed her again.

Besch...short for Beschutzer. It means 'guardian' or 'protector' in German.

Images flashed in my mind of looking into her chocolate brown eyes while sitting and petting her, hugging her neck and sharing all of my thoughts with her. She never judged. She just loved me. And protected me. She was always the first one to greet me when I got home from school. She did the same with Dad too - except with him she was allowed to jump up and get some special love. Besch was definitely the family dog but she felt like she was mine. I even pretended that my name was her middle name.