The dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made his greatest gift the commonest.
Martin Luther
Last week was National Pet Week, a time to celebrate "the human-animal bond". I didn't know about it until the time was past, and so we didn't celebrate with our sweet dog Bear (She was named Sugar Bear for her sweet nature by her rescuers, For the Love of Dogs founders Max & Della.) But every day in this house is one to celebrate the human-animal bond - or at least the bond we have with Bear. We did the opposite of what most families do - we waited until the children had left home before we adopted a dog. When the children were growing up we couldn't afford to properly care for both children and pets. We weren't comfortable doing as our parents had done - letting the dogs mostly fend for themselves.
In "Love Has a Price Tag", Elisabeth Elliot writes about her dog, McDuff, who had been sick with cancer:
"He expected no special treatment. He did not pity himself. He took for granted that he would be able to go on about his accustomed terrier business and when he found that it was somehow not working well, he made his own adjustments as unobtrusively as he could. It was still the supreme object of his life to see that I was happy. I think he lay under the bush in the rain not in order to wallow in solitary self-pity, but in order that I might not see him in trouble. He liked to please me. He delighted to do my will."
2 comments:
Ginny, Bear was indeed a wonderful friend, what a beautiful post to remember her by. Hugs to you.
What a beautiful face. I've got tears in my eyes.
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