This guy drives me crazy. His name is Jack and he is our dog. We love him like nuts. We brought him home at 3 months old and that was 7 years ago.
Jack is a fearful guy. We tried to break him of it right from the start, but no amount of socializing, forced love, stern commands, how-to books or begging would change him. I finally accepted that he is who he is. He has baggage, but he is ours.
He has run many miles with me on the trails and keeps me company during the lonely winter runs at Mohican. He is getting older, but he still acts like a puppy at times, prancing around with a toy in his mouth, begging the kids to chase him. His favorite thing in the world is running beside Brad on his bike in the field and woods. He lives for that.
He makes me crazy when the kids are gone at school. He follows me from room to room laying down where ever I land. Brushing my teeth...he is there. Folding laundry...he is there. Pulling weeds...he is there. Getting groceries...of course...he is there waiting in the car. He is faithful and true.
This past weekend I achieved mother of the year status (NOT). We were at Mohican to watch Brad in his race and came across a little lost dog that looked like Toto. He fell completely in love with the kids and they had him named in 2 minutes and 30 seconds. He was adorable, but it dawned on me after 15 seconds of seeing him that we were headed 3 counties away to chase Brad around in this race for the next 9 hours. We had no place for this cutie. We had to leave him for someone else to find and rescue. I didn't want to, but we had no choice. Chloe sobbed. The boys sat silent. The dog chased our car till we were out of sight. Hence, I was mother of the year.
Jack's (and Toto's) faithful attitude gently reminds me of the purity in relationships at the root level. Dogs seem to get it. People forget or we get grumpy. So often we miss out on the most basic of connections with people because we make it so hard. We search for hidden motives and agendas. We get caught up in the baggage that people bring along. We can't get over some quirk or oddity. We get hurt and won't let it go. We are driven by pride or selfishness. Dogs just love. They accept and go from there. They take a little love and relish in it, even with baggage.
I'm so glad we have Jack, even though he drives me crazy and is smelly sometimes. He makes our family full and reminds me of a never giving up, never stopping love. But way, way more than Jack himself, I am reminded that Jack is a gift to us from our Creator who teaches us things in all sorts of ways. Like about loving and being faithful through the example of a dog. Pretty cool.
"Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35
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