It
was Christmas Eve and the spirit of giving enveloped us. We had found a friend,
and maybe more. As we took her home on magical smiles, we could never have even
began to imagine what destiny would hold.
Fate
would hold some hard and cruel lesson we were oblivious to. The day after
Christmas her sister died from previous neglect, and her life hung in limbo. The
irony of which – so did mine. I had recently lost my job due to nothing less
than masculine decisiveness and steroid politics, my home was recently lost and
I had a close acquaintance with a near fatal road accident. I had little more
but hope and Gizmo.
My
life in the short term was chaos. My choices…lie down and die or face up and
fight for my existence in the greater scheme of things. And my salvation came in
the form of life, no larger than my outstretched palm. She was a sickly puppy
that would not die, would not give in to our cruel world.
She
took all our funds. She tested the bounds of medical reality, but with the
gentle touch of a gifted vet, she survived. She was Gizmo, our most beloved
puppy. No not just our puppy, our friend, companion, and mentor.
At a time in our lives when we most needed faith…she gave it. When we needed courage…she lead us. And when we needed love she surrendered it, without thought or condition. I recall the days of her illness when she would be lying on the floor, and we would lift her up and transport her to a place of loneliness, probing, and the solitude of medical observation. But still she loved us without understanding, but in pure faith that we would do her no wrong. She had a wagging smile, even through what must have been diabolical abdominal pain. The palm top companion brought hope in the denial of reality. Even the vet and our bank manager advised, strongly, to let it be. She did not.
Months later and so many lessons I learned, this puppy became our dog. Every night, without fail, she was there. No matter how bad a day, she brought me a smile. I found a career, with a company I have admired most of my adult life. I work with people I admire. I have a happy home and luxury sedan, and life has been good to me. Because a dog taught me to be, to exist, no excuses, and without explanation. She gave me the courage I needed after life’s treacheries had beaten me down.
Unfortunately this was short-lived. A superior intellectual being took the decision to poison her. I would like to have invited that person to just one day with me in her life and maybe they too might have found some hope. She touched every life she came into contact with.
She
will never be replaced, but the irony is, I am a better person. And in her
death, she continued to teach and to give. We found the most delicate friend at
Border Collier Rescue. Not a replacement – never - but another opportunity she
gave. And all she ever required was food and unconditional love.
Editor's note:
Dog poisoning is common in South Africa. We feel outraged when someone takes the life of our dear pet. Dog-poisoning is a very hard act to forgive, yet forgive we must! Jesus taught us to pray, "Father, forgive those who have wronged us!"
The
person who poisoned the dog will never apologise nor feel sorry. We must forgive
him nevertheless, lest unforgiveness poisons us!