And Then What Happened ...
It recently occurred to me how much that game is like my life. Once upon a time I got sick. I went to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. We stayed with friends and enjoyed their golden retriever, Candy. And then I stayed home for a long time and was lonely. And then, we decided to get a golden retriever to keep me company. And then, I learned about dogs, training, games and everything in the world of dog we could soak up. And then, I got better.
Lily brought great joy to me and to my husband. While learning all the dog stuff, ....
One of the things I did with that first dog, Lily, was therapy dog work. She had done so much for me that I declared if I ever got well enough to do it, I would share her with others who were shut in. I had amazing days and years with her visiting nursing homes, hospitals and other places as people enjoyed her company. Later Jessie joined us. I was moved to write their stories. It was my first published book. Little did I know then how appropriate the title of that book really was: Just for the Moment: The Remarkable Gift of the Therapy Dog. It’s a collection of moments that the dogs made a difference in other people’s lives. Now, many years later, readers still enjoy Lily’s and Jessie’s moments enjoying and sharing their book. The setting of most of the stories in that book is where my mother now resides living only in the moment. Our rescue golden, Buddy, visits her there.
Our current life is the consequence of “and then” in our past, isn’t it? Our past informs our present doesn’t it? And then…our story continues.