Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Puppy - Lessons in Love

A person can learn a lot from a dog, even a loopy one like ours. Marley taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart. He taught me to appreciate the simple things - a walk in the woods, a fresh snowfall, a nap in a shaft of winter sunlight. And as he grew old and achy, he taught me about optimism in the face of adversity. Mostly, he taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering loyalty.
John Grogan, Marley and Me, 2005

Soon, I will need to say good-bye to my best-est of friends. A little bit about her - she loves to talk, takes care of everybody, is the peacemaker, and has the friendliest wag I've ever seen. My friend is my dog, Puppy. I say that Puppy came straight from heaven to me from God. I was asking for a baby, and I got one.

How did she get her name? One day, my husband found her in our backyard. Since she was great puppy, we thought someone would claim her. After two weeks, and no calls, we knew she came from heaven, and she was already coming when we called "Puppy". My husband said that it would be mean to rename her - she picked her own name.

She has a beautiful face, and has natural eyeliner to bring out her beautiful, happy eyes. She loves to talk, often talking back to her father. She will greet anyone with her cheerful barking. And her tail - watch out for that tail! It wags one hundred miles an hour.

So, now, twelve years later, she has been my shadow, my best friend, and my teacher. I've seen her break up fights in our house, get in between someone that's playing too rough or fighting, or defend them when they are being scolded. I've seen her pick up my dying old dog by putting her nose under her belly and lifting her so she could stand. I've seen her grieve when her best friend and dog mom died suddenly at home, crying at the top of her lungs "Please wake up." I then saw her take the role of the dog mom to our Maggie, teaching with gentleness, yet firmness, playing, and letting Maggie drag her by the collar to go outside.

We took a walk in the garden today, a place that she loves. She has been known to eat the asparagus right out of the ground, but you need to pluck the top off first. She's ate strawberries and raspberries right off the plant. She's also found possums, and scared bunnies. And she usually gets the first harvest, whether it be radishes or tomatoes!

I don't want to say goodbye. I'm not ready to give her back to heaven. But, I know that soon I will need to, for she has bone cancer. She is still so cheerful, and wants to cuddle, but she does not walk on the bad leg and needs medication for pain. As she lays at my feet sleeping, I know that the time draws near.

God sent me baby animals when I asked, knowing my need to mother. I love her for she is one of my children, and she loves me - unconditionally. Another baby animal will come into our household for Maggie, for Maggie will be empty without a playmate. And even though, I think that I cannot go through it again, I will learn to love my new furry friend until God, once again, calls them home.

Puppy's mom,
Aunt Janet

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous8:16 AM

    Liz and I want to come see Puppy - can we??? {{{{hugs to you}}}}}

    ReplyDelete

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