Soft and furry.
Her eyes were once bright and didn’t miss a thing.
Cataracts and a stroke have blinded her. She doesn’t seem to care.
She wanders the house, bumper-car-like, pinging off of chair
legs and anything left on the floor.
She tries to exit the house through the sliding glass
door. It takes her a few tries. She jumps and bumps and jumps again.
The ping-ponging continues as she wanders across the patio
trying to find the grass. Landscape
rocks and patio furniture are no deterrent for her determination.
The other day I was re-filling the treat jar.
After I finished the task, I almost stumbled over her.
There she was.
Sitting and looking vaguely in my direction.
Waiting.
Just waiting.
She just knew that somehow in her blind universe a treat was
going to materialize.
She didn’t know where it was going to come from.
She couldn’t see who was going to give it to her.
She.
Just.
Knew.
I held the treat down to her and said, “Here, Belle. You are a good girl.” She took it immediately from my fingers, ate
it and wandered off.
Geez.
Geez.
I feel like I really might need to get more of a life when I
find myself taking philosophy lessons from a little blind dog.
But her attitude really hit me between the eyes.
Yes.
She is a dog.
But, seriously.
She’s not sitting there with no hope, whining about things
in the past.
She’s not dreaming about what might be tomorrow.
She is just sitting there.
Patiently.
Knowing that even though she ran into the rock and the
kitchen chairs earlier, something better might be coming now.
She makes me
think.
There is no point in yearning for past days and past
relationships and for the times when you felt like you could see everything
clearly.
...
Yes.
She is a little thing.
Soft and furry.
Her eyes were once bright and didn’t miss a thing.
She is a good dog.
And she reminded me of something I really, really need to
remember.
Dogs are brilliant and so is your post.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Your Belle is a sweet little love bug. Our pets can teach us so much, if we just pay attention.
ReplyDeletewhat a nice tribute to your furry friend. {:-D
ReplyDeleteAww Jenny, she is bound to have learned along the way some of what she knows from you.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful but sad too. I had two dogs who went blind and deaf...so so sad for me....
ReplyDeletePowerful message Jenny--thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult to see our friends go through this, but it is admirable how you can see things from a different perspective and translate it into meaning for your own life.
What a cutie!
ReplyDeleteThese things are hard to
remember sometimes.
:o)
Some of the best lessons are learned when you least expect it.
ReplyDeleteYou sure made me miss my sweet babies, who also taught me a few lessons along the way. *tear
Oh what a beautiful story! My grandmother who was my BFF forever lost her sight when I was age 8! She passed away when I was in the 6th grade. Oh I still miss her, she was so kind, so courageous, a true role model. Your little Belle is a sweet pet. God Bless her for her kind heart and patience! Hugs Anne
ReplyDeleteAh, perfect trust and faith. Jesus calls us to have that, and your little dog is a teacher.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully said, Ms Jenny!
ReplyDeleteWell said and filled with sadness as the time approaches to let her go.
ReplyDeleteAnimals can teach us such profound lessons. They always live in the present moment--and accept that fully. :)
ReplyDeleteAnother wonderful post. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI can so relate to this post. Mighty has only one good eye right now and that one is cataract clouded. You are so right. Dogs are the master adjusters. Mighty still knows that fast blurry thing is a rabbit and off he goes in slow motion pursuit.
ReplyDeleteDogs don't over think and am pretty sure they don't have a self pity gene.
Bless you for not giving up on the sweet baby.
Sometimes lessons come to us in the strangest ways:) Sweet pup! Have a blessed day dear friend, HUGS!
ReplyDeleteThanks for passing her lesson along, Jenny.
ReplyDelete=)
Oh now you've made me miss my sweet old boy...
ReplyDeletehe was such a good dog, blind as a bat for the last few years of his life, but happy to smell and hear me come home every night..
great post!
Oh my, Jenny! You really know how to tug at my heart!! Dogs are so comforting.
ReplyDeleteOh my! Jenny, you and sweet Belle have just taught me a lesson! thank you!
ReplyDeleteLinda
Isn't it amazing how life lessons can come from the smallest surprising things? What a sweet dog. How hard it must be to watch her blindly and happily pin ball thorough life.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh....I love this post and I love her determination. She is living life...no matter what.
ReplyDeleteXOXO
You remind me not only of a life lesson, but of our sweet Nike. She has been gone over a year now and you brought it all back.
ReplyDeleteVery bittersweet!
ReplyDeleteSo touching Jenny!
Granny used to tell us that "a nod is as good as a wink, to a blind horse."
I know that quote is always attributed to the band Faces, but granny was saying way before that album came out.
all I can say is awwwwwwwww.
ReplyDeletedo you still have Oscar too?