jicksies
Boxer Booster
The Journey
> > >by Crystal Ward Kent
> > >
> > >When you bring a pet into your life, you begin a journey - a journey
that
> > >will bring you more love and devotion than you have ever known, yet
also
> > >test your strength and courage.
> > >
> > >If you allow, the journey will teach you many things, about life, about
> > >yourself, and most of all, about love. You will come away changed
> forever,
> > >for one soul cannot touch another without leaving its mark.
> > >
> > >Along the way, you will learn much about savoring life's simple
pleasures
> > >- jumping in leaves, snoozing in the sun, the joys of puddles, and even
> the
> > >satisfaction of a good scratch behind the ears.
> > >
> > >If you spend much time outside, you will be taught how to truly
> experience
> > >every element, for no rock, leaf, or log will go unexamined, no
rustling
> > >bush will be overlooked, and even the very air will be inhaled,
pondered,
> > >and noted as being full of valuable information.
> > >
> > >Your pace may be slower - except when heading home to the food dish -
but
> > >you will become a better naturalist, having been taught by an expert in
> the
> > >field. Too many times we hike on automatic pilot, our goal being to
> > >complete the
> > >trail rather than enjoy the journey. We miss the details - the colorful
> > >mushrooms on the rotting log, the honeycomb in the old maple snag, the
> > >hawk feather caught on a twig.
> > >
> > >Once we walk as a dog does, we discover a whole new world. We stop; we
> > >browse the landscape, we kick over leaves, peek in tree holes, look up,
> > >down, all around. And we learn what any dog knows: that nature has
> created
> > >a
> > >marvelously complex world that is full of surprises, that each cycle of
> > >the seasons bring ever changing wonders, each day an essence all its
own.
> > >
> > >Even from indoors you will find yourself more attuned to the world
around
> > >you. You will find yourself watching summer insects collecting on a
> > >screen. (How bizarre they are! How many kinds there are!), or noting
the
> > >flick and
> > >flash of fireflies through the dark.
> > >
> > >You will stop to observe the swirling dance of windblown leaves, or
sniff
> > >the air after a rain. It does not matter that there is no objective in
> this;
> > >the point is in the doing, in not
> > >letting life's most important details slip by.
> > >
> > >You will find yourself doing silly things that your pet-less friends
> might
> > >not understand: spending thirty minutes in the grocery aisle looking
for
> > >the cat food brand your feline must have, buying dog birthday treats,
or
> > >driving around the block an extra time because your pet enjoys the
ride.
> > >
> > >You will roll in the snow, wrestle with chewie toys, bounce little
rubber
> > >balls till your eyes cross, and even run around the house trailing your
> > >bathrobe tie - with a cat in hot pursuit - all in the name of love.
> > >
> > >Your house will become muddier and hairier. You will wear less dark
> > >clothing and buy more lint rollers. You may find dog biscuits in your
> pocket
> > >or
> > >purse, and feel the need to explain that an old plastic shopping bag
> adorns
> > >your
> > >living room rug because your cat loves the crinkly sound.
> > >
> > >You will learn the true measure of love - the steadfast, undying kind
> that
> > >says, "It doesn't matter where we are or what we do, or how life treats
> us
> > >as long as we are together." Respect this always. It is the most
precious
> > >gift any living soul can give another. You will not find it often among
> the
> > >human race.
> > >
> > >And you will learn humility. The look in my dog's eyes often made me
feel
> > >ashamed. Such joy and love at my presence. She saw not some flawed
human
> > >who could be cross and stubborn, moody or rude, but only her wonderful
> > >companion.
> > >Or maybe she saw those things and dismissed them as mere human foibles,
> > >not worth considering, and so chose to love me anyway.
> > >
> > >If you pay attention and learn well, when the journey is done, you will
> be
> > >not just a better person, but the person your pet always knew you to
be -
> > >the one they were proud to call beloved friend.
> > >
> > >I must caution you that this journey is not without pain. Like all
paths
> > >of true love, the pain is part of loving. For as surely as the sun
sets,
> one
> > >day your dear animal companion will follow a trail you cannot yet go
> down.
> > >And you will have to find the strength and love to let them go.
> > >
> > >A pet's time on earth is far too short - especially for those that love
> > >them.
> > >We borrow them, really, just for awhile, and during these brief years
> they
> > >are generous enough to give us all their love, every inch of their
spirit
> > >and heart, until one day there is nothing left.
> > >
> > >The cat that only yesterday was a kitten is all too soon old and frail
> and
> > >sleeping in the sun. The young pup of boundless energy wakes up stiff
and
> > >lame, the muzzle now gray. Deep down we somehow always knew that this
> > >journey would end. We knew that if we gave our hearts they would be
> broken.
> > >But give them we must for it is all they ask in return.
> > >
> > >When the time comes, and the road curves ahead to a place we cannot
see,
> we
> > >give one final gift and let them run on ahead - young and whole once
> more.
> > >
> > >"Godspeed, good friend," we say, until our journey comes full circle
and
> > >our paths cross again.
> > >
> > >
> > >A dog has the soul of a philosopher - PLATO
>
> > >by Crystal Ward Kent
> > >
> > >When you bring a pet into your life, you begin a journey - a journey
that
> > >will bring you more love and devotion than you have ever known, yet
also
> > >test your strength and courage.
> > >
> > >If you allow, the journey will teach you many things, about life, about
> > >yourself, and most of all, about love. You will come away changed
> forever,
> > >for one soul cannot touch another without leaving its mark.
> > >
> > >Along the way, you will learn much about savoring life's simple
pleasures
> > >- jumping in leaves, snoozing in the sun, the joys of puddles, and even
> the
> > >satisfaction of a good scratch behind the ears.
> > >
> > >If you spend much time outside, you will be taught how to truly
> experience
> > >every element, for no rock, leaf, or log will go unexamined, no
rustling
> > >bush will be overlooked, and even the very air will be inhaled,
pondered,
> > >and noted as being full of valuable information.
> > >
> > >Your pace may be slower - except when heading home to the food dish -
but
> > >you will become a better naturalist, having been taught by an expert in
> the
> > >field. Too many times we hike on automatic pilot, our goal being to
> > >complete the
> > >trail rather than enjoy the journey. We miss the details - the colorful
> > >mushrooms on the rotting log, the honeycomb in the old maple snag, the
> > >hawk feather caught on a twig.
> > >
> > >Once we walk as a dog does, we discover a whole new world. We stop; we
> > >browse the landscape, we kick over leaves, peek in tree holes, look up,
> > >down, all around. And we learn what any dog knows: that nature has
> created
> > >a
> > >marvelously complex world that is full of surprises, that each cycle of
> > >the seasons bring ever changing wonders, each day an essence all its
own.
> > >
> > >Even from indoors you will find yourself more attuned to the world
around
> > >you. You will find yourself watching summer insects collecting on a
> > >screen. (How bizarre they are! How many kinds there are!), or noting
the
> > >flick and
> > >flash of fireflies through the dark.
> > >
> > >You will stop to observe the swirling dance of windblown leaves, or
sniff
> > >the air after a rain. It does not matter that there is no objective in
> this;
> > >the point is in the doing, in not
> > >letting life's most important details slip by.
> > >
> > >You will find yourself doing silly things that your pet-less friends
> might
> > >not understand: spending thirty minutes in the grocery aisle looking
for
> > >the cat food brand your feline must have, buying dog birthday treats,
or
> > >driving around the block an extra time because your pet enjoys the
ride.
> > >
> > >You will roll in the snow, wrestle with chewie toys, bounce little
rubber
> > >balls till your eyes cross, and even run around the house trailing your
> > >bathrobe tie - with a cat in hot pursuit - all in the name of love.
> > >
> > >Your house will become muddier and hairier. You will wear less dark
> > >clothing and buy more lint rollers. You may find dog biscuits in your
> > >or
> > >purse, and feel the need to explain that an old plastic shopping bag
> adorns
> > >your
> > >living room rug because your cat loves the crinkly sound.
> > >
> > >You will learn the true measure of love - the steadfast, undying kind
> that
> > >says, "It doesn't matter where we are or what we do, or how life treats
> us
> > >as long as we are together." Respect this always. It is the most
precious
> > >gift any living soul can give another. You will not find it often among
> the
> > >human race.
> > >
> > >And you will learn humility. The look in my dog's eyes often made me
feel
> > >ashamed. Such joy and love at my presence. She saw not some flawed
human
> > >who could be cross and stubborn, moody or rude, but only her wonderful
> > >companion.
> > >Or maybe she saw those things and dismissed them as mere human foibles,
> > >not worth considering, and so chose to love me anyway.
> > >
> > >If you pay attention and learn well, when the journey is done, you will
> be
> > >not just a better person, but the person your pet always knew you to
be -
> > >the one they were proud to call beloved friend.
> > >
> > >I must caution you that this journey is not without pain. Like all
paths
> > >of true love, the pain is part of loving. For as surely as the sun
sets,
> one
> > >day your dear animal companion will follow a trail you cannot yet go
> down.
> > >And you will have to find the strength and love to let them go.
> > >
> > >A pet's time on earth is far too short - especially for those that love
> > >them.
> > >We borrow them, really, just for awhile, and during these brief years
> they
> > >are generous enough to give us all their love, every inch of their
spirit
> > >and heart, until one day there is nothing left.
> > >
> > >The cat that only yesterday was a kitten is all too soon old and frail
> and
> > >sleeping in the sun. The young pup of boundless energy wakes up stiff
and
> > >lame, the muzzle now gray. Deep down we somehow always knew that this
> > >journey would end. We knew that if we gave our hearts they would be
> broken.
> > >But give them we must for it is all they ask in return.
> > >
> > >When the time comes, and the road curves ahead to a place we cannot
see,
> we
> > >give one final gift and let them run on ahead - young and whole once
> more.
> > >
> > >"Godspeed, good friend," we say, until our journey comes full circle
and
> > >our paths cross again.
> > >
> > >
> > >A dog has the soul of a philosopher - PLATO
>