This story arrived in my inbox from a friend the other day. Apparently it has been making the rounds forever but I had never seen it. I hoped to find out who wrote it but a search came up with nothing. It just seems to be a legend that has taken many forms over the years. Regardless, I was deeply touched by it and felt the need to share.

If you have not yet seen it, I guarantee you will remember the tale of the Wooden Bowl tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now, a year from now. 


The Wooden Bowl

"A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson. The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered. The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor. When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess. 'We must do something about father,' said the son. 'I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.' So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner. There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner. Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.

When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly, 'What are you making?' Just as sweetly, the boy responded, 'Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up. The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

The words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.

That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table. For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled."
                                               
                                                           ******************************************
So many lessons can be taken from this simple tale. Here are just a few.

Teach your children compassion for all living beings.

Try seeing things through a new set of eyes. It will give you a whole new perspective.

Set a good example – be a positive role model.

Treat others with gentleness and consideration. One day you might find yourself in their shoes.

We all deserve respect and dignity regardless of age or ability.

Do not let minor inconveniences overshadow what is truly important.

One small act of kindness can change someone’s whole world.

Family is forever.

Do something nice for someone today. You will be glad you did!



Wishing you all a wonderful day!!!

Just recently I was asked to foster a dog very briefly until her new family was able to take her. I picked her up on Saturday morning around 10 AM and by 6 PM the following Monday she was on her way home. She arrived on a transport from a sanctuary and had been on a truck with many other dogs for several days.

She is thought to be about five years old and some might call her a “special needs dog” as she was born with one leg shorter than the others. She had been living at the sanctuary for quite a while. Other than that I knew nothing about her and had no idea what to expect.

When she was brought out of the truck I was amazed at how happy she was despite what must have been a very stressful few days. While I am sure she was relieved just to be out of the crate and free to walk around and breathe the fresh air, she came out smiling and wagging her tail and after a quick walk she hopped right in the car and we were off.


Once we got back to the house she opened her heart almost immediately. She was always nearby. She hardly knew me but allowed herself to trust me. She enjoyed being outside and ran happily around the yard – having one short leg did not bother her in the least. Special needs? Not at all.


I learned some important lessons from this little dog. Here are just a few:

While some would say she is less than perfect physically, in her mind she can do just as much as any other dog and do it just as well. As far as she is concerned, there is absolutely nothing wrong with her – and, in my opinion, she is correct.

Lesson one: You are only handicapped if you think you are.

Once off the truck, the past was behind her. She was ready and willing to forge ahead without looking back. She was living in the moment, taking it all in and enjoying every bit of it.

Lesson two: Do not dwell on the past. Look toward the future with hope and a positive attitude.

Not only did she settle in very quickly at my house, she also made a quick adjustment once she arrived in her adoptive home. She has already won the hearts of her new parents.

Lesson three: Embrace new opportunities and make the most of them. Do not let fear prevent you from accepting the good things life has to offer.

I was fortunate to have had a near perfect foster experience and while not all dogs will adjust to new surroundings as easily as she did, I have found the resilience and unconditional love she demonstrated to be pretty much universal among dogs. To quote Cesar Millan “Dogs don't rationalize. They don't hold anything against a person. They don't see the outside of a human but the inside of a human.” I think that is something we can all strive for.

I am grateful to this dog for letting me be part of her life, if only for a very short time. In those few hours she reminded me of what is truly important. She now has a home, a new family and much to look forward to. 

I wish her a wonderful life!

We are back again this week with scenes from a few more beautiful Connecticut places that Mickey and I visited over the last several months. 

Lunch outdoors in Downtown Kent, CT.

And a hike in beautiful Macedonia Brook State Park, Kent, CT. What a day it was!

Peak (Copper) Mountain on the Metacomet Trail - East Granby, CT.

A walk along the Connecticut River and a dip in the water.

We hope you will be inspired to get out and enjoy the beautiful scenery in your area.
That's all for now. More next time.

She is everywhere! It seems like each time I search for positive pit bull stories to share on my website or Facebook page her picture seems to pop up. Blueberry the Pit Bull Therapy Dog - the dog with her own Facebook page and over 21,000 adoring fans from all over the world. Beautiful Blueberry, with her shiny brindle coat, sporting her red Therapy Dog vest and bringing joy and smiles to those who need them the most. 

While it was a distinction in itself to be able to share some of Blueberry’s many visits to nursing homes, rehab hospitals, schools, hospice patients and those affected by the Boston Marathon bombings in “Loyalty Unleashed,” the best part for me, each time I see a story about Blueberry, is that I can say I actually know her. I have met her and her and her mom, Maura Porter twice at events and, not only does she live up to all the hype, she exceeds it – by far.

I met Blueberry and Maura for the first time just over a year ago at a screening of "Guilty 'Til Proven Innocent" a documentary about Breed Specific Legislation. Although the event was sold out and Blueberry was not part of the program, once she arrived, the film became almost secondary. It was clear that Blueberry was the star of the show. In a small, crowded theater with people milling all around her, children bending down to pet her and everyone clamoring to meet her, Blueberry took it all in stride. She was the calmest one in the room. 

It was not until a woman walked in the door that Blueberry became animated for the first time – running in circles, jumping up and down and straining to get close to this apparent celebrity who had just entered. What was going on? Well, Maura explained that this was the Animal Control Officer who had saved Blueberry’s life. It was amazing – a joy to behold. If there are still people who doubt that dogs can remember, this scene would have changed their minds instantly.

After seeing yet another delightful article featuring Blueberry last week, I thought maybe I could garner her some additional exposure, in case anyone reading this does not already know how special she is. So, I contacted Maura, asked her a few questions and she promptly responded.

Today it is an honor and a privilege to tell you more about the remarkable Blueberry.

Blueberry’s life did not start out well. She was confined to a laundry room and used for breeding. The Animal Control Officer in Milton, MA became aware of her situation and tried valiantly to rescue her but the owners refused. The ACO never gave up though and after about a year, the owners agreed to surrender Blueberry to the Milton Animal League, only because they thought she had mange. As it turned out her skin condition was only the result of allergies and that was the beginning of Blueberry’s new life. 

At the time (six years ago), Maura Porter was a volunteer at the shelter. She and her husband had recently lost their dog to leukemia. She was studying to be a dog trainer and was looking for a dog to hopefully do therapy dog visits with - to honor a friend who had passed away and who loved animal visits in hospice. Maura also hoped to help people see the breed differently.

Given her history, it was not known how Blueberry would behave around people and other dogs so Maura began taking her to training classes. Blueberry was a star! First they trained for the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen test and she was the first in the class to pass. About a year later Maura took her to classes with Dogs Building Opportunities for Nurturing and Emotional Support (B.O.N.E.S) of Massachusetts to become a Certified Therapy Dog. She passed!

Today, Blueberry and Maura do one to three therapy visits each week. They have a regular schedule of places they visit, but with hospice patients the visits are more frequent and shorter in duration – usually about an hour.

She will also do special requests or events where therapy dogs are needed. After the Boston bombing for example, Dog B.O.N.E.S. was asked to send several teams down to the area where the bombing occurred just to be there for the people affected by the tragedy.  Blueberry loves doing visits and gets really excited when she sees Maura pull out her Therapy Dog vest.

Finally, what Maura would like people to know about Blueberry is that she is typical of her breed - people loving and gentle. She would rather be with people than anything in the world. “I ask that people don't judge pit bulls based on what they think they know.”

She also strongly encourages people who are interested in having their dogs become therapy dogs to do it!  “They will get more from the visits than they can possibly imagine.”

Maura we cannot thank you enough for taking the time to tell us about Blueberry and the phenomenal work both of you do to help others and also to educate people about the breed.

If you are not already one of Blueberry’s fans, please check out her Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Blueberry-the-Pit-Bull-Therapy-Dog-Changing-Minds-One-Visit-at-a-Time/218206764888576?fref=ts

And please check out Maura at Clear Skies Dog Training and Evaluation too!