Renewal

This morning I was making breakfast while looking out on the Preserve and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a father helping a youngster on probably a tricycle or something, there are bushes in the way.

Then I realized it was my neighbor, in his early 60’s, helping the pup they got yesterday learn to jog with him.  I just saw this white floppy tail wagging along.

They lost their dear dog of 14 years last week, and needed another.  Mom has the house decorated for Thanksgiving and I told my husband last night that there’s no way all of those stuffed animals (turkeys et al) at floor level will survive with an eight week-old pup.  A 14 year-old dog, yes, but not this 24 hour newbie with puppy teeth.

After my Chani died it took two years to get another dog.  Granted, I met my husband and we got married and moved first.  I had a spreadsheet of names that we culled to 20 and then to five. Once we met her and spent a few days with her, it was Zoe, Greek for life.

We will have been with Zoe for eight years early 2012 and she has brought joy and a herding mentality to our lives.  We are richer to have known her and will be sad when she is gone.  I don’t want to think about that right now as she is healthy and happy.  I don’t know that we could get another dog in a few days. We’ll see.

To see a 60 year-old man train a pup to jog with him, when they both look like kids, is an inspiration, a renewal of life when one close has departed. They’re called family pets for a reason, they’re part of the family and should be treated as such.  Here’s to family, Dee