Bailey by My Side: Golden Lessons for Life

i have actually read this book 3 times....what an enjoyable read and a time to reflect....want to feel better---buy a copy and you will immediately cheer up (with a few tears shed along the way). of course i'm a bit prejudice, believing that golden retrievers are our gift from heaven....

Anyone who owns a Golden Retriever will see a little bit of Bailey in him/her. Patricia Burlin Kennedy has been able to put into words what so many of us feel in our hearts. Anyone who reads this book will "feel" the connection that these four legged creatures have with us. You will smile, you will cry and hopefully, you will pause to think about these life lessons and promise to be a better person because of these reminders. Please buy this book for your children and encourage them to live by Bailey's example.

Bravo! Kennedy and Christie have done it again. "Bailey Bymyside" is not simply a book about the amazing life of a fine Golden. It is a spiritual journey that will teach the reader some of the most important lessons life has to offer. Each page carries a profound statement with a glorious accompanying illustration, that will make you pause and reflect sometimes sirring a tear or a "dog earred" grin. For example, the lesson "that compromise allows us to move forward together" with a picture of 2 dogs swimming upstream with a shared stick in their mouths. What an profound message in today's world! This book is really for the young and old. Pair this book with their first book, "Through Otis' Eyes: Lessons from a Guide Dog Puppy" and you will be giving the best holiday or birthday gift a dog lover has ever received!

I received a copy of this book hot off the presses; and, I imagine that it will always remain a treasured part of my personal library. Not only are the Golden photos and situations universally recognizable, but the accompanying Golden "lessons" are truly therapeutic.As a Nationally Certified School Psychologist, Private Clinician, and Graduate School Instructor, I utilize a cognitive-behavioral style such as that noted in Ellis' Rational-Emotive Behavior Therapy [REBT]. And, it is that same kind of rational thinking that shouts out from this book. You see, sometimes us human folks fail to watch our Golden Retrievers close enough and we consequently miss the big picture. We fail to understand how our furry companions are so proficient at managing the ups and downs of life. Patty Kennedy's precious "Golden Lessons" do just that. They set out to help people think in a better more healthy way. And, in REBT, it is only when we are able to THINK better, that we will come to FEEL better. This FEEL BETTER book has an incredible 106 pages with 52 full-color Golden Retriever illustrations & lessons. One scene typifies what Goldens continually do for us, rain or shine. It shows Golden Bailey smiling at the family's front door as it is being opened due to someone returning home. This illustration is accompanied by the lesson: "that it's not the size of the house that matters, but the love that dwells within." A deceptively simple statement, but one that is so often ignored. How much we worry about what others think about our homes -- whether they are big enough, have the best furnishings, or are in the best of neighborhoods. Yet, when it comes down to what truly matters, it's whether you have made this house into a warm, loving 'home,' appreciating the strength and well-being that can come from such a place of love.Do yourself a favor and get this book. You certainly don't want to miss learning about Bailey's other 50+ lessons!