Please enjoy this heartfelt post by Katy Foley, one of our kindness co-conspirators, as you prepare to honor your furry friends today.
I am an animal lover, always have been, always will be. I
love all of them. Well, almost all of them… snakes can evoke a complete and
irrational panic and fear in me. But, even when considering snakes, I remain
awestruck at most animals and how they live their lives.
I am jealous of their
seemingly simple, yet lived with purpose, lives. I often think how much happier
we humans might be if we could adopt their essence - if we could truly know our
purpose and live in the moment like they do. Animals simply do what they need
to do to survive, nothing more nothing less. I think animals got it right, and
we can learn a lot from them. That is their gift to us, but only if we pay attention.
Do I have a favorite? Yes, probably. I love the majesty of
the cat family, particularly big cats. I respect the industrious spirit of
ants; they are really amazing. I love the freedom exhibited by birds that soar
overhead, and I would love to be a bird for a day. Elephants, monkeys, koala
bears… they all make me smile, simply by existing. But perhaps my true
favorites are those we have domesticated, because they are the ones we can form
true bonds and relationships with, not just admire from afar.
I want to share a story about one of my dogs. There have
been many over my 46 years, but this dog will always hold a special place in my heart. 2001
was a bad year for our country and for me personally. Shortly after 911, I lost
a partner, my house, one of my dogs, and two cats. My brother and father were both
battling cancer, and, much too quickly, they were freed from their battles in 2002.
The
decade that followed brought more of the same to my life. I watched as one of
my best friends lost her battle with cancer, leaving behind an 8 year old
daughter. My cousin, who was only two years older than I am, died in a freak
automobile accident. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Another friend
died from a bee sting. A bee sting! She was 41 years old. The hits just seemed
to be never ending, and I had begun to feel like the poster child for bad luck
and tragedy.
This kind of compounded grief and loss bears a heavy toll on
one’s heart and soul. One of my absolute greatest pleasures, and without a doubt
best friends, throughout this time was my lab, Parker Wilson Brown. My dog
consoled and restored my heart faster and better than anything else in the world.
Many days he was my reason for crawling out from under the covers because, believe me, there were many days when I didn’t want to. He soaked up my tears at
night and offered a never ending supply of doggy kisses. He taught me that life
does indeed go on, and I had to do the same. He woke up every day with hope and
the promise of what a new day might bring. He never judged me if I didn’t make
his dreams come true with a trip to the beach or dog park, he’d cozy up and try
again the next day.
Parker has since passed away, but I often feel like he is reincarnated in my
new girl, Darlan Hermione Foley DeRienzo. She is a Border Collie mix. I swear you
can actually see her smile when she runs.
I understand that not everyone loves and appreciates
dogs the way that I do - sometimes they are badly behaved and just down right
dirty - but I can tell you that my love of and for dogs has saved me more than
once. They are a part of many families, and for all they give they deserve our
kindness too.
-Katy Foley
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