I’m sitting at Red Eye Coffee now, completing the daunting task of transcribing notes in preparation for my trip tomorrow, and avoiding any attempt to return to a now empty and lonely home.
I just dropped off my foster dog Happy Jack at Oakwood, where he’ll be boarded for three weeks unless a volunteer comes forward to take him in while I’m gone. The staff at Oakwood are truly wonderful--- but nothing is better than a home environment. Anyway, Happy Jack is no stranger to them; he lived there for a few months until he came under my care back in October, 2008 (yep, it’s been that long!) and he’s been boarded there many times when I traveled for work.
This time is different. This time, Happy Jack is without his foster sister, Pearl. He’ll have a lot of adjusting to endure.
Pearl is now in a foster-to-adopt home, which means she’s being cared by a volunteer that is seriously considering giving Pearl her forever home. It’s a great thing, of course. I knew this day would possibly come, but it still hurts. Pearl was a couple of months old when I took her in November, 2009, so she’s lived with me nearly all her life.
People ask me time and time again how it must be so hard to be a foster volunteer. I won’t sugar coat it... it is hard. However, when I get to see the possible home that my foster dogs might be living, it makes me happy. She’s enjoying a big backyard with lots of squirrels to chase and things to sniff. Pearl also has a new buddy, a Lab, and has a wonderful foster family. Pearl will have a wonderful quality of life should this family decide to adopt her.
I only hope and pray that I could find the same thing for Happy Jack.
Many times, I jokingly tell my friends that the more I deal with people, the more I love animals. Never underestimate the power of dog love! In their vulnerability and loyalty, my experiences with dogs and my growing understand of their behavior has made me a better person. While they’re not human, they have the potential to draw the best of humanity from us.
Now, I’m focusing on the last minute tasks that need to get done before my trip. On previous trips, I’ve always kept hand-written journals. This time, however, since I have my Macbook and will have regular access to WiFi, I decided to save a few trees and post here.
As I journey, I intend to incorporate a lot of experiences I encounter into my Lenten reflection. Some of my friends know what I decided to “give up” for Lent, and if you don’t, I’ll reveal that at some point with details.