Prior Date

Archive Index

Next Date

WITandWISDOM(tm) - August 13, 2007 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: No one appreciates the very special genius of your conversation as a dog does. – Christopher Morley Source: Scream of the Crop, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scream_of_the_crop/ ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: When a sheltie (Shetland sheepdog) chooses a human companion, he or she will stick with the person through thick and thin. Some shelties see no reason to acknowledge the presence of anyone other than their chosen person, except to warn them to keep away. So I was shocked when one day my sheltie, Casey, joyfully ran over to an elderly couple he did not know. He danced about them and cuddled up for their attention, ignoring me as I called for him to come back. After that incident, I began carefully watching Casey's behavior around other people. Casey didn't care for strangers who were in their twenties, thirties, or forties, and he even ran away from children. But let someone with gray hair walk by, and Casey ran to greet him or her enthusiastically. Since this was not typical sheltie behavior, I began to think that maybe Casey was intended to accomplish something greater with his life. And maybe I could help him. I contacted my church's nursing home and found out that they welcomed anyone, including dogs, to visit the residents. I felt confident that Casey could brighten the day for many of the people at this facility, but I was uncertain how I could handle taking him there. Most of the residents of this nursing home were Alzheimer's patients. How could Casey and I communicate with them? I had been observing Casey become so much more than his sheltie temperament dictated. I hoped that I, too, could step outside my comfort level and try to bring a little joy to people in the nursing home who needed it. So I arranged for Casey and me to make our first visit to the elderly. The minute Casey stepped into the nursing home, people greeted us with smiles and laughter. Casey happily did his tricks for them. He stayed at the end of the hall until I called him, then came barreling around past people in wheelchairs. Having this furry bullet bolt by made them laugh. He sat, laid down, rolled over, crawled, weaved through my legs as I walked, and caught his tennis ball. After Casey finished entertaining the patients, he wagged his tail, cuddled up, and listened to his elders, especially when they called him "pretty dog." Casey accepted every hand that reached out to him with a friendly lick and a wag of his tail. "He hasn't said a word since he got here--until now!" The next thing I knew, people who couldn't tell where they were or even who they were began to glow with a light in their eyes and reminisce about the dogs they had loved. When a nurse saw that one old gent had started talking to Casey, she pulled me aside and whispered, "He hasn't said a word since he got here--until now!" Someone else asked me to take Casey to a woman who was unable to move from her bed or even speak. As the woman petted Casey's head and hummed at him, I observed indications of a sharp and active mind behind her bright eyes. She happily responded to my questions with a smile and a nod or an elegant wave of her hand. I left the nursing home that day feeling very grateful to Casey for the lesson he had taught me. I had been afraid to step outside the boundaries I had placed around myself and worried about how I would communicate with these people. But I learned that no one ever forgets the language of love. Casey and I continued visiting nursing homes for another two years until Casey retired from this form of service. Casey and I would like to challenge you to step outside your boundaries. We think that you'll find the experience to be awesome! By Pat Eisenberger Submitted by Angelwings ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: Grandma's Mid-Life Message One day Grandma Anna and I were shelling peas on the back porch. We had picked the peas that afternoon from her abundant garden. We still had to gather the beans, cucumbers, and two rows of the sweetest raspberries in the county. Grandma cleared her voice in a way that meant, "I'm going to say something important so don't laugh." I studied my bowl of pea pods. "You know, I suppose it's time to tell you about life and why your mother is sweating and carrying on and why some days she feeds you warm cobbler and ice cream for dinner." I waited patiently for the truth. "My dear mother, God rest her soul, never told me anything," said my grandmother. "But, Lord have mercy, there are things you need to know." Women only have twenty or so years to bear and tend the children, but it's fulltime work. Then her gears get all jammed up and her baby-bearing chores are gone for good. Out of sadness for being barren, some gals get all worked up and start sweating to beat the band and nothing is going to cool them but a dip in the lake. Don't come between a hot woman and her path to the lake. The good part is that we don't have to fool around with that monthly pain anymore. Thank you, Jesus! With that, my grandmother went back to shelling peas. I quietly envied my brothers who were in the desert hunting jackrabbits. Submitted by Lorraine ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: When my wife quit work to take care of our new baby daughter, countless hours of peek-a-boo and other games slowly took their toll. One evening she smacked her bare toes on the corner of a dresser and, grabbing her foot, sank to the floor. I rushed to her side and asked where it hurt. She looked at me through tear-filled eyes and managed to moan, "It's the piggy that ate roast beef." Submitted by B. B. ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: My friend Bev and her husband were reshingling their roof. As soon as they started, they realized they needed more supplies, so Bev grabbed the checkbook, jumped into her car, and drove the 45 miles to the nearest lumberyard. After gathering the items she needed, Bev went up to the cashier and wrote a check. "I really need to see a photo ID." the clerk said. "I don't have one on me," Bev replied. The cashier called over the manager, who examined the check. Then the manager looked up and asked Bev, "Who is the Avon lady in your town?" Puzzled, Bev responded, "Maxine Thompson." "Take her check," the smiling manager said to the cashier. "Maxine is my grandmother." Source: Pulpit Supply, http://lively.ca/mailman/listinfo/pulpitsupply_lively.ca