For the past 4 months, we've been fostering Gus, a very delightful dog whose owner no longer has a home or the means to care for him. I loved Gus the minute I saw him. My dog-loving son, however, has remained a bit detached, knowing that at any time, Gus might have to leave us and go back to his former owner. More than once, he's asked: "Do we really have to give him back?"

We've adopted many animals before, and most are older and are only with us a few years anyway. But Gus is 3 and full of life and bounce and joy.

It made me think-- if any of us knew that a loved one would die in just a few months, would we draw back and start to separate... or would we leap in and enjoy every single moment?