Every day is a gift, Tommy Franklin came to realize after many ups and downs in his life. There was love found, lost and found again with his best friend Carolyn Russell. Hope was also lost and found throughout his life. After growing up with great friends and parents who loved their children dearly, in the idyllic setting of small town U.S.A. in the nineteen-fifties and sixties, who would have thought that, as a young man in his twenties, he would hit rock bottom in the beach community of Venice, California? What caused his downward spiral into destitution?How did he go from there to becoming a successful adult, loving husband and father? Was it because of the love and influence from the three women who always stood by him? Would he have survived at all, in life or death, without the companionship of his dogs?Who was the mysterious fourth woman that entered his life at times of need and did she determine his final destiny? Were prayers answered?In The Effects of War on a Godless Dog Lover, Tommy Franklin travels down a road that ultimately shows him what true love and hope are all about.≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈ ≈Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can last a lifetime. The love of a soul mate and devoted dogs can last forever.