What a picture's worth.

A million words could not express what is said in this one picture.

This is John Unger and his 19 year old dog Schoep. They've been together since John rescued Schoep at 8 months old and have done everything together. Schoep has arthritis and swimming in a warm Lake Superior soothes him so John takes him there and swims with him. It's so soothing that Schoep often falls asleep in his Daddy's arms.

So often when we adopt a young pet it's all about what they'll do for you. Not long after the tables turn and it becomes all about what we'll do for them. Their time on this earth is say too short. Whatever they want, we'll indulge them. Playing with that squeaky or throwing that ball as long as they want us to seems such a small price to pay, such a small favor to ask of us. We do what ever we can to make their lives happy. And when they get older and we start to panic over how limited their time on earth remains, we do whatever we can to ease their pain.

From the moment they enter our lives we know it will hurt unbearably when they leave us. They never leave us of their own volition. If they had their way they'd stay with us forever. Despite all this, we still open our arms to them. Because all of the pain is worth the time we have them. It's worth the love they give us. And if they could talk, I'm sure they'd say it's worth the love they receive from us.

No amount of words can express the love between man and dog. Millions have been written.

But this photo says more than words could ever express.

What is a picture worth?

This one is priceless.

I'm so grateful to Hannah Stonehouse Hudson that she was able to capture this moment for her friend John Unger.