Life's little lessons are all around us - just ask the animals!
We live in a wildlife preserve in a small community in the East Texas Piney Woods. Watching the native animals is one of the delights of living here. Deer, fox, mountain lions and bobcats are as common as cats and dogs. But it's those cats and dogs that caught my attention in the last few days.
Our kitten Molly, a "gift" from a building contractor, has grown up with our pup, Keely. Miss Keely is an Australian Shepherd mix weighing in at nearly 70 lbs and is full of spunk and energy. She can pull me down in an instant. And even though she often carries Molly in her mouth, she's as gentle as can be! They roll and tumble but both always come out unscathed! So last week I catch them in the pantry; Molly on the top shelf opening the bag of doggie treats. She reaches in and helps herself to some broken pieces, then gently nudges a whole treat to the floor for her partner in crime. What teamwork! I punished them with more treats and pondered the idea of animals sharing and loving each other.
Around the same time, I started hearing tales of a stray dog in the neighborhood - a splendid Great Pyrenees. It too has a loyal companion, a goat! The two have been sighted numerous times over the last two weeks, and always together. They've been seen strolling calmly down the lane, hiding in garages on cold nights, and wandering through the woods. Nobody knows where they came from, what bonded them together, or even where they will end up. Undoubtedly they work together to survive.
This odd couple brings to mind the lovely friends I've made. Many of you come from totally different backgrounds, even different parts of the globe. Our religious and political views could not be farther apart. Yet, still, we honor those differences and work together as friends. We promote each other and our favorite stars. We share inspirations and sorrows. We lift each other up. We walk together down life's pathways together.
What would I do without my friends?
