Wednesday, July 04, 2007

May I come in?


The children have all now flown from the nest, grown older, following their respective goals and dreams. For most parents this can be a double edged sword, an irony, really; we want them to leave, but have a difficult time scooting them over the edge. We want them to stay with us forever but desperately need them to go.

When do you know it is time to push them out and create their own families?

Parents tell me that it is a natural process and so do the children.

My friend and I walk most mornings between 6am & 7am… we hear familiar sounds, see the same light appear, a new day born, can at times hear and understand each other’s thoughts. This is a magical time of the day. It is these times we talk freely, the topics ranging from philosophy to knitting.

On this walk she conveyed to me a wonderful tale.

“My brother is a great soul, he makes more money than he can spend, loves his life with his partner because well, all the kid’s have grown and moved away.

This can be hard for some parents whose entire life revolved around their children…a void created, a void needing to be filled.

On a walk one morning he came across a little Cocker Spaniel, acting strange, following him…

In fact the little girl was relentless, following my brother home, and remaining in the front yard, wearing a forlorn expression, hoping to be fed.

Concerned after many weeks, because she was a well behaved and a loving animal, now naming the dog, Stephanie, my brother set upon finding the true owners, and why, in God’s name, would anyone leave a middle aged Cocker Spaniel with so much heart?

It was then my brother, feeling guilty, thinking Stephanie was missed, made a flyer and distributed it around the neibourhood.

LOST DOG – COCKER SPANIEL: BLOND, OLD AND BEAUTIFUL. Please contact…

After a few days someone responded.

An address on the note, my brother followed its directions and met the last owners of little Stephanie.

“We are in a bad way. Can you take our dog into your home? No one wants her, can you take her?”

My brother found the house to be empty of furniture and of life. Most had already moved out and moved on.

Of course my brother agreed to take Stephanie and the previous owners seemed relieved.

However for some reason Stephanie had disappeared, but only for a day.

The next day the little Cocker Spaniel appeared at the front door of my brother’s house with an old and tattered “teddy bear” in her mouth. The dog knew this move was now permanent and set out to find her most valued possession, to then join her in her new home. Stephanie absolutely knew that the move was a sure thing and brought her prized possession, her stuffed teddy bear.

The void my brother’s children had left was now filled with Stephanie.”

I found this story touching because all too often we believe animals to be less than intelligent, devoid of character or soul.

The story of Stephanie confirms that animals do have character and more soul than most.










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