CanineJustForFunC

Just For Fun 3

WHY DOGS ARE BETTER & POLITICALLY CORRECT

.. Dogs love it when your friends come over.
.. Dogs don't care if you use their shampoo.
.. Dogs don't shop.
.. Dogs think you sing great.
.. A dog's time in the bathroom is confined to a quick drink.
.. Dogs don't expect you to call when you are running late.
.. The later you are, the more excited dogs are to see you.
.. Dogs will forgive you for playing with other dogs.
.. Dogs don't notice if you call them by another dog's name.
.. Dogs are excited by rough play.
.. Dogs don't mind if you give their offspring away.
.. Dogs understand that farts are funny.
.. Dogs can appreciate excessive body hair.
.. Anyone can get a good-looking dog.
.. If a dog is gorgeous, other dogs don't hate it.
.. Dogs like it when you leave lots of things on the floor.
.. Dog's disposition stays the same all month long.
.. Dogs never need to examine the relationship.
.. A dog's parents never visit.
.. Dogs love long car trips.
.. Dogs understand that instincts are better than asking for directions.
.. Dogs understand that all animals smaller than dogs were made to be hunted
.. Dogs like beer.
.. Dogs don't cry.
.. Dogs don't hate their bodies.
.. Dogs don't shop.
.. No dog ever bought a Kenny G album.
.. No dog ever put on 100 pounds after reaching adulthood.
.. Dogs never criticize.
.. Dogs agree that you have to raise your voice to get your point across.
.. Dogs never expect gifts.
.. It's legal to keep a dog chained up at your house.
.. Dogs don't worry about germs.
.. Dogs aren't catty.
.. Dogs seldom outlive you.

DOG RULES

1. If I like it, it's mine.
2. If it's in my mouth, it's mine.
3. If I can take it from you, it's mine.
4. If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
5. If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in any way.
6. If I chew it up, all the pieces are mine.
7. If it just looks like mine, it's mine.
8. If I saw it first, it's mine.
9. If you are playing with it and you put it down, it automatically
becomes mine.
10. If it's broken, it's yours.

Before I was a Dog Mom

I made and ate hot meals unmolested.
I had unstained, un-furred clothes.
I had quiet conversations on the phone,
even if the doorbell rang.

Before I was a Dog Mom:

I slept as late as I wanted and never worried
about how late I got to bed or if I could
get into my bed.

Before I was a Dog Mom:

I cleaned my house everyday.
I never tripped over toys, stuffies,
chewies or invited the
neighbor's dog over to play.

Before I was a Dog Mom:

I didn't worry if my plants, cleansers,
plastic bags, toilet paper, soap or deodorant
were poisonious or dangerous.

Before I was a Dog Mom:

I had never been peed on, Pooped on, Drooled
on, Chewed on, or pinched by puppy teeth.

Before I was a Dog Mom:

I had complete control of My thoughts,
My body and mind. I slept all night without
sharing the covers or pillow.

Before I was a Dog Mom:

I never looked into big, soulful eyes and cried.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop a hurt. I never knew
something so furry and four-legged could affect
my heart so deeply.

Before I was a Dog Mom:

I had never held a sleeping puppy just because
I couldn't put it down. I had never gotten up in
the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make
sure all was well. I didn't know how warm it feels
inside to feed a hungry puppy. I didn't know that
something so small could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Dog Mom:

I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love,
the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction
of being A Dog Mom.

'Omnia Vincit Amor' - "Love conquers all things,"

NATIONAL DOG WEEK DOGGIE PLEDGE~

.. I will not play tug-of-war with Dad's underwear when he's on the toilet.
.. The garbage collector is NOT stealing our stuff.
.. I do not need to suddenly stand straight up when I'm lying under the coffee table.
.. I will not roll my toys behind the fridge.
.. I must shake the rainwater out of my fur BEFORE entering the house.
.. I will not eat the cats' food, before or after they eat it.
.. I will stop trying to find the few remaining pieces of carpet in the house when I am about to throw up.
.. I will not throw up in the car.
.. I will scootch my bottom along the grass to rid myself of hangers-on.
.. I will not roll on dead seagulls, fish, crabs, etc.
.. I will not eat other animals' poop.
.. I will not lick my human's face after eating animal poop.
.. I will not roll my head around in other animals' poop.
.. "Kitty box crunchies" are not food.
.. I will not eat any more socks and then redeposit them in the backyard after processing.
.. The diaper pail is not a cookie jar.
.. I will not eat the disposable diapers, especially the dirty ones.
.. I will not wake Mommy up by sticking my cold, wet nose up her bottom end.
.. I will not chew my human's toothbrush and not tell them.
.. I will not chew crayons or pens, especially not the red ones, or my people will think I am hemorrhaging.
.. When in the car, I will not insist on having the window rolled down when it's raining outside.
.. I will not drop soggy tennis balls in the underwear of someone who is sitting on the toilet.
.. We do not have a doorbell. I will not bark each time I hear one on TV.
.. I will not steal my Mom's underwear and dance all over the back yard with it.
.. The sofa is not a face towel, neither are Mom & Dad's laps.
.. My head does not belong in the refrigerator.
.. I will not bite the officer's hand when he reaches in for Mom's driver's license and car registration.

A Rescuer's Creed

I shall be a believer of all that is good in man and of all that is deserving in animals.
I shall plead for their lives, campaign for their safety and uphold their right to a natural death.
I shall seek out the injured and the maimed, the unloved, and the abandoned and tend to them in their last days.
I shall not forget their place in the hierarchy of life, nor that we walk in each other's paths.
I shall bear witness to the wonder they bring into our lives and to the beauty they bestow upon our souls.
I shall renew their spirits when they are waning, bind their wounds when they bleed, cradle them when they whimper, and comfort them when they mourn.
I shall be near them in their hour of greatest need - a companion and friend when the time has come.
I shall watch over them and console them and ask
that the angels gather them in their arms. From the creatures of the earth
I shall learn the fruits of compassion and undying love, and I shall be called the beloved of God.
In their company I shall indeed be blessed.

~ Susan M. Pearson ~

A pet is love you give yourself...adopt some love today!

The Cat Years

I JUST REALIZED that while children are dogs-loyal and
affectionate-teenagers are cats. It's so easy to be a dog owner. You feed it, train it, boss it around. It puts its head on your knee and gazes at you as if you were a Rembrandt painting. It bounds indoors with enthusiasm when you call it. Then, around age 13, your adoring little puppy turns into a big old cat. When you tell it to come inside, it looks amazed, as if wondering who died and made you emperor. Instead of dogging your footsteps, it disappears.
You won't see it t again until it gets hungry-then it pauses on its sprint through the kitchen long enough to turn its nose up at whatever you are serving. When you reach out to ruffle its head, in the old affectionate gesture, it twists away from you., then gives you that blank stare, as if trying to remember where it has seen you before. You, not realizing that the dog is now a cat, think something must be desperately wrong with it. It seems so antisocial, so distant, sort of depressed. It won't go on family outings Since you're the one who raised it, taught it to fetch and stay and sit on command, you assume that you did something wrong. Flooded with guilt and fear, you redouble your efforts to make your pet behave. Only now you're dealing with a cat, so everything that worked before now produces the opposite of the desired result. Call it, and it runs away. tell it to sit, and it jumps on the counter. The more you go toward it, wring-ing your hands, the more it moves away. Instead of continuing to act like a dog owner, you can learn to behave like a cat owner. Put a dish of food near the door, and let it come to you. But remember a cat needs your help and your affection too. Sit still, and it will come, seeking that warm, comforting lap it has not entirely forgotten. Be there to open the door for it. One day, your grown-up child will walk into the kitchen, give you a big kiss and say, "You've been on your feet all day. Let me get those dishes for you." Then you will realize that your cat is a dog again.

Rescued Dog

Once I was a lonely dog just looking for a home. I had no place to go. No one to call my own. I wandered up and down the streets in rain, in heat and snow. I ate whatever I could find. I was always on the go. My skin would itch, my feet were sore, my body ached with pain. And no one stopped to give a pat or to gently say my name. I never saw a loving glance. I was always on the run. For people thought that hurting me was really lots of fun. And then one day I heard a voice so gentle, kind and sweet! And arms so soft reached down to me and took me off my feet. "No one again will hurt you was whispered in my ear." You'll have a home to call your own where you will know no fear." "You will be dry, you will be warm, you'll have enough to eat." "And rest assured that when you sleep, your dreams will all be sweet." I was afraid I must admit, I had lived so long in fear. I can't remember when I let a human come so near. And as she tended to my wounds and bathed and brushed my fur; She told me about the rescue group and what it meant to her. She said, "We are a circle, a line that never ends". "And in the center there is you protected by new friends". "And all around you are the ones that check the pounds. And those that share their home after you've been found". "And all the other folk are searching near and far. "To find the perfect home for you where you can be a star". She said, "There is a family that's waiting patiently, and pretty soon we'll find them, just you wait and see". "And then they'll join our circle they'll help to make it grow. So there'll be room for more like you who have no place to go". I waited very patiently. The days they came and went. Today's the day I thought, my family will be sent. Then just when I began to think it wasn't meant to be, there were people standing there just gazing down at me. I knew them in a heartbeat, I could tell they felt it too. They said, "We have been waiting for a special dog like you". Now every night I say a prayer to all the gods that be. "Thank you for the life I live and all you've given me. But most of all protect the dogs in the pound and on the street. And send a Rescue Person to lift them off their feet".

Arlene Pace
September 18, 1998

When I wrote this poem it was inspired by my foster Sheltie "Patchie" who, by the way, is in a home where he is the light of their eyes. I think now that it is more in the way I see the rescue efforts of all the people that are doing such a great a job all over this country. So I wish to dedicate this poem to all of you in rescue, the doers, the helpers, the donators of money and/or time and tears.

Please feel free to recopy, reprint or resend to anyone you would like to.

Out of the Garden

After Adam left Eden, he said unto God,
"Lord when I was in the garden, you
walked with me every day.
I am now lonesome here and it is difficult for me
to remember how much you love me.
And God said, "Fear not! I will create a companion for you that will be with you forever.
One who will be a reflection of my love for you.
You will know I am with you when you cannot see me.
Whether you are selfish...childish...unlovable...this new companion will accept you as you are.
And will love you as I do, in spite of yourself."
And God created a new animal to be a companion for Adam.
And it was a good animal.
And God was pleased.
The new animal was pleased to be with Adam and
he wagged his tail.
And Adam said unto God. "Lord, I have already named all
the animals in the Kingdom.
All the good names are taken.
I can not think of a name for this new animal.
And God said, "because I have created this new animal to be a reflection of my love for you his name will be a reflection of My own name.
And God said, "You shall call him DOG."

Puppy Whelping 101

A = ABNORMAL BIRTH - The only kind you hear of when you have a bitch in whelp.
B = BOX FOR WHELPING - Essential piece of equipment which is used at the onset of labor, but which is later left in order to produce the first pup on your bed.
C = CARDIAC ARREST - Not common in whelping bitches, but often seen in owners around the 62nd day of bitches gestation.
D = DOG -What you wish you had bought in the first place.
E = EUPHEMISMS -For some reason adopted by breeders...eg...."Puppies are thriving" means puppies have just eaten next months housekeeping budget in five days.
F = FALSE ALARMS - Games played by whelping bitches to keep their owners on their toes.
G = GARDEN - What you had before puppies.
H = HAND REARING - Not recommended unless you have eight hands.
I = IMPERFECTIONS - Your puppies, of course, have none.
J = JOY - Despite other comments, puppies bring a lot of it with them.
K = KENNEL - That shed in the garden that used to stay empty until you stored tools in it.
L = LONG SLEEP INS - What you don't have for a very long time.
M = MILK - You will need a lot of it. Recommend developing a
friendship with someone in the trade.
N = NEXT TIME - Next time you will be more organized.
O = OLD CLOTHES - The only kind you have after rearing puppies.
P = PEDIGREE - After writing out five generation pedigree eight times, you will agree there is a lot to be said for mongrels.
Q = QUOTA -Dictionary defines this word as "finite quantity". Visualize litter of eight - then number nine arrives.
R = REFURNISHING - Takes place after sorting out debris once the last puppy is gone.
S = STRESS - Can be bought in cans. Can also be found accompanied by strain in owners.
T = TEETH - Teething puppies are an upholsters dream. See "R".
U = USEFUL ARTICLES - Scissors, cotton, LARGE WHISKEY.
V =VET - The chap whose phone number you learn by heart.
W = WEANING- Excellent method for getting the smallest amount of milk and food over the largest area of floors, walls, etc. in the shortest time.
X = X-RAYED - What your head should have been before you started all this.
Y = YELLOW FEVER - About the only disease you decide the puppies don't have when they sneeze for the first time.
Z = ZIGZAG ZOOM -Puppies do it when you try to catch them to put them back in their kennel.

CHANGING BED LINENS

Remove dog from bed. Put dog on floor and give one treat.
Remove comforter from bed and place on chair. Lift up comforter and remove dog. Put dog on floor and give one treat.
Remove blanket from bed and place on chair. Lift up blanket and remove dog. Put dog on floor and give one treat.
Take pillows out of pillowcases and shams. Remove pillows from bed and place on chair. Lift up pillow and remove dog. Put dog on floor and give one treat.
Remove sheets and pillowcases from bed. Open hamper and place sheets and pillowcases inside. Close hamper.
Open hamper. Retrieve sheets and pillowcases. Unroll on floor. Take dog out of sheets and place on floor. Give one treat. Return sheets to hamper. Close hamper.
Go to linen closet. Open linen closet and get clean sheets and pillowcases. Close door to linen closet.
Return to bedroom and place sheets on bed.
Return to linen closet. Open door and let dog out. Put dog on floor and give one treat.
Return to bedroom. Unfold fitted sheet on bed and tuck in all four corners.
Release corners 2 and 3 and release dog from under sheet. Place dog on floor and give one treat.
Unfold top sheet and place on fitted sheet. Remove dog from between two sheets. Place dog on floor and give one treat.
Tuck in bottom of top sheet at foot of bed. Make hospital corners for top sheet. Release hospital corners to let dog out of foot of bed. Place dog on floor and give one treat.
Place blanket on bed. Remove dog from blanket. Repeat as needed. Don't forget treats.
Get lint brush from drawer. Remove dog from blanket. Place dog on floor and give one treat. Brush blanket. Note: this works best when you have contrasting colors; i.e., black dog and white or pink blankets, white dog with darker colors such as navy or green.
Put lint brush back in drawer. Go back to bed and remove dog from blanket. Place dog on floor and give one treat.
Very quickly place comforter on bed. Repeat steps 15 and 16 above as needed. Remember to use contrasting colors again.
Place pillows in pillowcases and shams. Fluff pillows on bed. Notice pillow two is fluffing itself. Remove pillow from bed. Take pillow out of pillowcase and sham to release dog. Place dog on floor and give one treat.
Fluff pillows on bed. Notice dog's tail sticking out of bottom of pillows. Remove dog. Place dog on floor and give one treat.
You may need to use the lint brush on the pillows at this point. Follow steps 15 and 16 above.
When finished, notice dog is now lying in center of bed. Open curtains and watch dog curl up as the sun comes in. Tiptoe out of room as dog settles in for nap. Treat at this point is optional.
Total time required:
With dog- 30 minutes plus treats
Without dog- 7 minutes

IF I KNEW

I knew it would be the last time that I'd see you fall asleep, I would tuck you in more tightly and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time that I see you walk out the door, I would give you a hug and kiss and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise, I would video tape each action and word, so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time, I could spare an extra minute to stop and say "I love you," instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.

If I knew it would be the last time I would be there to share your day, well I'm sure you'll have so many more, so I can let just this one slip away.

For surely there's always tomorrow to make up for an oversight, and we always get a second chance to make everything just right.

There will always be another day to say "I love you," and certainly there's another chance to say our "Anything I can do?"

But just in case I might be wrong, and today is all I get, I'd like to say how much I love you and I hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, young or old alike, And today may be the last chance you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow, why not do it today?

For if tomorrow never comes, you'll surely regret the day, that you didn't take that extra time for a smile, a hug, or a kiss and you were too busy to grant someone, what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today, and whisper in their ear, tell them how much you love them and that you'll always hold them dear.

Take time to say "I'm sorry," "Please forgive me," "Thank you," or "It's okay." And if tomorrow never comes, you'll have no regrets about today.

This is a list of phrases dog owners should get their naughty pets to
write on a blackboard a la Bart Simpson. If you could get them to write...
Fill in the blanks

1. [xxx] is not food.

Spiders; band-aid; ivy and airplane plants; Xmas ornaments; the carved
jack-o-lantern; plants from the aquarium; cat litter box contents; laundry
detergent boxes (esp. not when full!); toothpaste (tube and all); remote
controls; linoleum; eyeglasses; books; stockings; the tar shingles on my
house; chicken wire; bizarre plants; disposable razors; rocks; Lego; dirty
Kleenex; the baby's used diaper; Christmas stockings; soda pop cans;
fiberglass insulation stuffed up the chimney; the underwear in the clothes
hamper; Mommy's hair accessories; Mommy's catnip teabags; unopened honey
packets; staples; Christmas stockings; credit cards, CDs, and other thin
plastic things.

2. I will not lift my leg on/the [xxx].

Anything growing in the vegetable garden; house corner; new boyfriend;
mailman; wood stove; subordinate pack members; Grandma's plush chair; the
conformation judge; good-looking neighbor man that Mommy is trying to
impress; Daddy in the lawn chair.

3. I recognize that [xxx] has a right to exist.

The humans' shoes; the human's cats; the aquarium; 3rd grade art projects
(even if they are made of macaroni shells); the other dog(s); the TV
remote control; the human's little humans; the bath mitt; Rolling Stone magazine;
large patterns on wallpaper;

4. [xxx] is not a toy.

The humans' shoes; the human's cats; the human's pet cockatiel; newly planted iris bulbs; pillows and blankets from the bed; laundry (dirty OR clean); aquarium plants; stuffed animals from on top of the chest of drawers; pillows and blankets from the newly made bed; the hose that's filling the kiddie pool; the human's Nerf footballs; human's underwear; Mommy and Daddy's ferrets.

5. I will not chew the [xxx].

Human's homework; human's papers s/he has to mark; remote control; cardboard around the laundry detergent; handles to the lawn tools; garage door;
kitchen cabinets; food left within reach on the couch; the mini-human's *full* bottle even though it conveniently fell in front of me from the crib;horse's new saddle; wall; carpet; deck; couch; sofa cushions; expensive paperbacks.

6. I will not bark at [xxx].

Plastic bags on the ground; the new plow blade on my owner's truck when it
is parked; the wind; thunder; the road grader; Daddy's new Santa bear toy
(which was innocently sitting on a chair, and had been there for hours before Molly noticed it and took umbrage); tissue paper being blown along the floor by air from the furnace; the spring doorstop when It or the kid flips it and makes it go DOooiiiiinnnnnng; my mother's clean laundry thrown on top of the bed, even if the room is dark and it looks like someone sleeping there; the ball It just pushed into an inaccessible crevice all by myself; the fox/skunk/cat/deer out in the yard at any time after midnight, especially on a work night; the fire hydrant on the corner when out for a walk at night; the car radio; the answering machine lady when she says the date/time; the ice cube that slid under the fridge; the rawhide chewbone
that I'm making no headway on; absolutely nothing (especially after 11 PM).

7. I will not dig [xxx].

Under the stove (and through the linoleum); under the sidewalk until it collapses; the carpet; a hole under the porch and then get stuck under it; under my master's pillow at 2 AM to retrieve the bone It hid there earlier; a swimming pool in the back yard...

We Are Their Heroes - Jim Willis 2001

If you worry that you have not made a difference, you have, for only those who do not worry about it have not.
If you feel overwhelmed, if the weight of problems is too heavy to bear, remember it is a shared burden and the strength of numbers can accomplish much.
If you think society and government are blind, it only serves to remind that we need to change one mind at a time, one law after another.
We effect change by cooperation, not by isolation.
If you consider that we cannot save them all, and what difference does one make?, you ought to know the joy of the one who is saved.
Mourn those we cannot save, it is a eulogy to their being. Do not let their loss be in vain.
Be kind to yourself, remember your needs and those of your family and friends of every species.
If you give everything, what will you have left for yourself, or for them?
Strive to be happy and healthy. You are needed.
Achieving balance in life is a lifelong struggle.
We who help those who do not have all that they need should be among the most grateful for what we have.
Be proud of your accomplishments, not your opinions.
The quality of your efforts is more important than the quantity.
Forgive your own deficiencies - sometimes your caring is sufficient. Everyone can do something, it is up to you to do the thing you can.
A kind word and a gentle touch can change a life.
If a seething anger wells up within you, because people are the problem, remember your humanity and that people are also the solution.
Concentrate on specific needs, pay attention to the individual - they make up the whole.
See beyond the unlovable, the unattractive, the impure and the wounded - see that their spirit is as deserving as the rest.
Help them heal.
Their eyes are windows to their soul and the mirror of your sincerity.
All species, all beings, share this Earth in a chain of life. Care more about what makes us alike than what separates us.
Policies, rules and regulations are not infallible. Apply them judiciously, interpret them wisely.
No decision based purely on money is ever the right one. Listen to your heart. Sometimes we have to do that which we are most afraid of.
Be true to yourself and your beliefs. Family may abandon you, friends may disappoint you, strangers will ridicule you.
People shun what they do not understand. Help them to understand - kindly, softly, gently.
Those who do not respect all life are to be pitied. Often the wrongdoer is as in need of help as his victims.
Forgive, then teach by example. Educate yourself or you cannot hope to teach others.
No action based in hatred is ever right and anger drowns out wisdom.
Yours may be a voice crying in the wilderness, make it a voice to be respected.
Listen more than you talk, be courteous and reliable.
Learn to ask for help. Never waiver from the truth.
Know that it takes a lot of strength to cry and with every defeat, we learn.
All Creation celebrates that which is in its own best interest.

The Children are our hope - nurture them.
Nature is our legacy - protect it.
The Animals are our brethren - learn from them.
Your rewards will not be material, but they will be meaningful, and the courage of your convictions can survive anything.

We are small boats cast adrift on a cruel sea, but someday the tide will turn toward a safe harbor. No matter how dark the storm clouds, or deep the pain of heartbreak - never forget:
We are their heroes.
*******
~ Dedicated to all who have worked for change. May your efforts be blessed. You have made a difference.

Ten years ago when I ran a domestic violence shelter I was heading to work in my finest business suit on a rainy morning. Thunder shower kind of morning actually ... as I drive down the freeway, I see a little white dog, going opposite direction to traffic, on this freeway. It's against the divider, so every time a semi drives past it, it gets thrown up against the barrier, only to get back up and run toward traffic.

I start to pray as I watch this -- thinking of my $500 suit and silk hose and speaking engagement that I have to go on ... when another semi toppled it into the wall. I slowed my car down and stopped. Angry that of all the people on that freeway NO ONE but ME would stop and help this dog.

I ran out, chasing the dog, calling for it over and over again. I am drenched all the way down to my underwear when I finally catch up to this dog who was not paying any head to my calls. I take off my expensive raincoat and throw it over the dog, and start the long walk back to my car, now drenched beyond hope....

I get into the car and I am shaking. I look at this pitiful ragamuffin who is shaking in the seat beside me. I am crying from how scared and worried I am about it, me and my speech, and what I will need to do for this dog.

It has tags on it to the local humane society but I vow, to my office worker when I get to work finally, that I will NOT let whoever had this dog take it back. They don't deserve it. It could have died!

My office worker says to me "Gee ... if God gives you a clue to follow, like those tags, I think He'd be pretty upset if you didn't follow it" and then she walked out.

I fumed silently until I picked the phone up and called ... they gave me the owners number. I called and he said he would be right down. I was fuming out loud, spouting off like a bad drunk, saying I was going to give this owner a piece of my mind when he showed up, when there was a knock on the door. With angry eyes I opened the door and before I could open my mouth, I dropped my jaw. It was an 80+ year old gaunt man, with heavy wrinkles and thick veins all over his face and hands, clutching his hat...asking me if I was the lady with the dog.

Then before I could answer he saw her ... and he scooped down and picked her up and held her tight against his heart, and tears just spilled down his face like rivers. We stood in silence for what seemed forever. When he was able to speak, he said to me, that his wife had died the year before and his children were all grown and moved away and this little dog was all he had left in this world that loved him.

He had put her out to go to the bathroom ... the tea kettle whistled and he turned just a moment to take it off the stove, and she was gone.

He asked me if I could understand how he felt when he called for her and knew she could not hear, because she was deaf, and knew she could not find her way back home, for she was blind. He never thought he would see her again. He thanked me profusely and offered to pay me. I refused ... God ... how could I take anything after the gifts he had given me?

He had taught me that my will not be done, but my God's ... and that: what seems to be, is not always what is. And that my perceptions are not always the facts.

TWO LOST SOULS by Shelly Guidotti

"Did you hear that?" the old dog shouted. They all ran to the front of their kennel doors to see if someone was coming to "pick them." "Sorry," he said to the other dogs as his ears fell down from their perked position. "I could have sworn I heard voices saying, 'Isn't he cute? It's Christmas, can't we take him home with us?'" "You must have been dreaming again old man," said the dog in the cage next to him. "Anyway, what's the big deal about getting picked up as a Christmas gift. We've all been through that routine and look where it got us." The word "home" meant little to these shelter dogs. "Just once, I'd like to feel the warmth of a hand stroking my head," said the old dog. "I'd like to be the one who kisses the tears off a sad face. I'd like to curl up next to a fire instead of this cold concrete. It hurts my bones." He curled up and sighed as the others said, "The only place you're going to find that is in your dreams old man." Hank's wife had only been gone a year but the pain was as fresh as if time had stood still. He was an old man now, alone and longed for the comfort that he knew no other person would ever be able to give to him again. What would his life become without her by his side? Hank's cupboards were close to bare now and, although he didn't want to go out, he knew he should at least pick up the basics. He drove slowly down the side streets for freeway driving had become too challenging. Suddenly, the car started chugging and sputtering until finally the engine quit altogether. One of the basic needs he forgot was fuel for the car! So he coasted over next to the curb, spotting a building within walking distance. Hopefully, they'd let him use their phone. He walked into an office area and rang the bell for service but no one came. He spotted another door going outside, failing to notice the sign posted "Employees Only". As Hank walked out, he was overwhelmed by yaps, barks and insane jumping from dogs all sizes and shapes. He then realized he had unintentionally gone to the dog shelter. Slowly he walked down the concrete aisle looking for an attendant. Three kennels down on the right, the old dog calmly sat there. Why should the old dog get excited? No one would want him. But, he sensed a need and couldn't resist offering a kind look and a gentle wag of the tail. As Hank neared the old dog's cage, he laced his fingers through the chain link to steady his gait and the first feeling of comfort he'd remembered in over a year came from a wet nose and lick across his arthritic fingers. Just then a voice of authority sounded, and Hank jumped. "I'm sorry sir, you aren't supposed to be in this area!" she said. Luckily Hank didn't know he had walked into the "final area" where unclaimed dogs were scheduled to be put down. There went the nudge and lick thing again. Hank looked down to the most pleading eyes he'd ever seen. Ignoring the attendants order to leave, Hank asked if could he see the dog closer? Her demeanor changed completely and her sternness melted away. She had forced herself to be this way so she could do the part of her job she despised. She brought the old dog out and instantly the two souls -- once so lost -- found reason to hope. Hank's cupboards were now filled, a warm fire crackled and the old dog smiled inside as he remembered "only in your dreams." Closing his eyes he felt Hank's hand stroking his head whispering "sleep in heavenly peace". It was Christmas after all--

Shelly Guidotti <shelly @ songimages.com>

Updated 01-12-04