DIANNE’S DOGHOUSE
Dogs, Trees, and Friends
When I was a child someone asked me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Tough question since I was only a kid, and had no idea what being a grown-up would be like.
So, I said, “When I grow up I want a dog, and I want to climb trees, and have tons of friends and visit old people.”
Looking back over my seventy-seven years, most everything has already come true. I have always had dogs, have given up climbing trees after falling on my head several times. I have enjoyed spending time with my friends and my pups, and love to visit old people like me.
When Simon Pete was a fairly new rescue, we began making weekly visits to a local nursing home where Pete met the love of his life, Carrie.
She was ninety years old, a widow and had been a resident of the home for the past fifteen years.
She could not walk but was content, and always counted the days of Pete’s visits and she always had her box of cornflakes by the bed–two for Pete, one for Carrie. She said to Pete “Now it’s time to snuggle and chat until we meet again.”
Every week for three years we walked to see Carrie. One day, Pete and I went to visit expecting to share snacks and hugs. We found Carrie barely hanging onto life.
Pete kept pulling on his leash trying to get close to her bed. He pulled so hard he broke his leash. Up he went onto the bed and snuggled close to her and laid there very quietly, looking at his friend with his big brown compassionate eyes.
On this day with Pete by her side, Carrie silently left this life. She is in a much better place—no pain, no sorrow and is probably sharing her cornflakes with Jesus. Pete and I missed our weekly visits with our sweet little friend but were blessed to have time with her.
All lives touch many others. Sometimes this network is very large, sometimes small, but somewhere in it is a certain quality of love.
If anyone ever asks me where did the love that has sustained me come from, I would reply Jesus, dogs, trees and friends.
Blessings,
Dianne Hammontree: Dog Trainer, Pet Sitter, Artist. 419-606-4433
