A number of people I adore have lost their dogs lately, so I’ve been thinking about this post.

1/24/15: Today, I’m going to make you cry. Sorry. It’s not me, really. It’s Jimmy Stewart.

Sure, he’s made us cry before. He is known for his beautiful, moving, powerful performances. We’ve seen him convincingly portray broken men, but even so, there was always something reassuringly solid about him. Something that made us feel safe. Maybe that’s why seeing him vulnerable is so devastating.

Here is the great man, reading a poem he wrote about his dog which he read on “The Tonight Show” in 1981.

Now blow your nose, and watch these dogs who forgot how to dog.