These three pictures are of Clyde, a red heeler mix at the local animal shelter. This first picture was taken when he first got dumped at the shelter…left overnight at the door, crammed in a crate with a female red heeler mix. He’s shy and wary, not knowing if he was safe.
I took the second picture when I first interacted with him. He wanted to get close and connect with me, but he was still feeling vulnerable. He was nervous about being touched, so I spent a while massaging him. He trembled while I did it, but didn’t resist. Even though his tail was between his legs most of the time, he trusted that it was all right. Towards the end of the session he started smiling. Ah! So that’s what petting is all about. When I did it again the next day he started asking for more.
In the last picture he’s running around having a good time. He’s just a young, happy dog enjoying life. I belong to the local Friends of the Shelter, and we’re now running an ad for Clyde in a statewide newspaper. I’m taking the calls so we can find a good home for him.
To me that’s what this week’s lines from Bob Clubb’s St. Francis Project are about:
[Lord, make me an instrument of your peace….
Where there is hatred, let me sow love…]
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
As I’ve mentioned in About Cheerful Monk, my life purpose is a modest one. I simply want to be able to answer yes to two questions:
- Have you found joy in life?
- Have you brought joy to others?
I’m grateful to Friends of the Shelter for making the answers so easy for me.
Thanks to bikhikebabe, Adam, Bob, Ellen, Al, Sterling, SH, Annette, Adebola, Peter, and Supreme Directory for commenting on last week’s post.
you are the first person to thank me for a comment I left. Very generous and noble of you. Now its my turn to say thank you!
I take the neighbor dogs on my hikes. One has 3 legs. I call him 3. The other one I call 4. They sit by the fence looking at the window where I get ready for the hike. We don’t have a dog & these give me such love.
P.S. And why don’t I call the dogs by their real names, Amber & Ginger? Because the names were meant to be their colors, but got reversed. It’s like you had a red dog that you called Blue & a blue dog, you called Red. Too confusing, so I call them Three & four.
This is such a happy post. I am looking at my dog right now, grateful that she is in my life. This post reminds me to appreciate her, although I try to do it every time I look at her or spend time with her. Thanks for this!
Hi Jean,
beautiful.. your life purpose is touching and inspiring..
Honestly, I haven’t figured mine out yet completely.. but bringing joy and comfort to my loved ones is definitely on top of the list!!
peace to you,
Ellen
Jean, like Shamelle I was pleasantly surprised by the thanks for commenting. Very thoughtful of you.
We fell in love with a dog at animal rescue about a year and a half ago. We adopted him mainly to keep my American Bulldog company, but the new dog was so high-drive it required more attention than the 1st dog. 🙂
My fiance and I are often amazed at how much joy this adoption has brought to our lives. It’s been very rewarding to watch “Duke” become less fearful and more comfortable and happy over time.
Thank you for bringing attention to this worthy cause.
Shamelle and Sterling,
🙂 My blogs are about sharing, so I really appreciate it when people take the time to comment.
bikehikebabe, Larissa and Sterling,
🙂 Dogs sure do know how to melt our hearts and lift our spirits, don’t they? They remind me that enjoying life is a value in itself, and that we don’t have to be perfect to be lovable or to lead a worthwhile life. Has anyone read Marley and Me by John Grogan? That’s one of the best love stories I’ve ever read. Marley was an pain in so many ways, but John loved him deeply and couldn’t give up on him. If John could do that with Marley, why can’t we do the same thing with ourselves?
Ellen,
I sure hope bringing joy and comfort to yourself is high on your list too!
🙂 Again, thank you all for coming by and sharing.
I really want to read Marley and Me. It’s been on my list for a while now. I will definitely have to pick it up. And you’re right, Jean, about how it seems hard for humans to be as forgiving toward ourselves and others as we are with dogs. Perhaps it’s the idea that dogs rely on us for so many things and they make us feel needed, whereas our relationships with humans are often very different. All I know is there is a certain peace that comes over me when I sit quietly with my dog or play with her.
Thanks!
Larissa,
Please let me know your reaction when you do read Marley and Me. It really touched my heart.
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waw, beautiful post, thank you, really heart touching
nice dog, he look really happy