Father Bob's Reflections

Dear Friends,

My faithful companion Mr. Shivers whom everyone simply calls “Shivvy” will be 13 on Thursday.  He’s a Chesapeake Bay Retrieve mix with some Lab, it would seem.  I got hi  from my friend Glen who bred him while I was in Baltimore.  He’s supposed to retrieve ducks from the Chesapeake Bay but he didn’t really like the cold water.  I’d take him swimming at St. Augustine Beach and he’d pull back, so I’d put the leash on him and drag him over his head so he had to swim and, of course, he could.

Shivvy is a legal service animal by HUD laws and is welcome wherever I take him.  He had a grand welcome at the Great Lodge on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in march 2008 where there’s no dogs aloud.  He’s not really a dog; he’s a furry person, as my friend Sr. Monica calls him.

At age 13 he still thinks he’s a puppy.  He has no problem climbing the stairs to my second floor apartment and he loves to run with other dogs when given the chance.  Unfortunately, he doesn’t take good pictures since he’s totally black except for a white goatee now.

A friend sent me this afternoon which inspired me to write about Shivvy.  My Arise readers know him well because I always have something to say about him since he was born in 1996.  The following story will touch your heart:

A Dog’s Purpose  (from a 6-year-old). . .

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound  named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane,  ;were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog  in their home.
As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa  told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn someth ing from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker ‘s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ‘I know why.’

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, ‘People are born so that they can learn how to live a good Life — like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?’ The Six-year-old continued, ‘Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.’
So live like a dog:

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you’re not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY

Bob Traupman

priest / writer

and a six year old boy named Shane