Wisdom from the Woods Life lessons learned from being around a Dog Lover

Life is a journey between loss and discovery. Occasionally the two intersect in inspiring ways. Recently, a gruff stranger sat beside me. On the face of it, we couldn’t have been more unlike. Then a common thread stitched us together instantly. “Is that your dog out there?” he asked, referring to my basset hound waiting patiently in my Jeep. Thus began a comfortable conversation. The luxury of euthanasia wasn’t an option when the day came to put his pal down. His eyes glistened with grief as he recalled the day he was going to shoot his dog. When the time came, he couldn’t. Instead, he made a pallet of blankets in his basement where his best friend, whimpering with pain, died in his lap. I don’t care deeply about a lot of things. What I do care about, I cherish. Driving home, I looked at my dog, Maxx, as he stared out of what should’ve been an open window in the Jeep. He can’t inhale the experience as deeply as he did in summer. It’s too cold to go topless now. Even so, he was no less enthusiastic in his gaze at what was out there. He was so content, confident and captivated in the experience. It made me smile. He didn’t care where he was going. All that mattered to him was we were going somewhere together. In that moment, true, I realized I’d done something remarkable. Through my interactions with Maxx, I somehow created a best friend. Here’s to many more memorable moments with my domesticated partner.

Jim Shock, LBSPY #20