Reflections 7/6/2020: What a treat this was on Independence Day to hold my neighbor’s new puppy! Charlee! Sooo precious!! Can you believe how cute her little face is? Definitely triggering my “Dog Mom’s” maternal need for a furry friend in our home! Been scouting rescue sites! I had to overcome my sadness every time I see a dog with a white-muzzled, aging face and slow, limping gait. Triggers my pain of watching Koda’s demise into morbidity… and the gut-wrenching decisions I had to make. Those final months of a dog’s life break my heart… causes me to not want to go through that again! BUT, I’ve had to remember there are YEARS of incredibly good, youthful exuberance that precede those final months! I need to focus on those! And celebrate the beginning and middle of a dog’s life, that makes the goodbye difficult, but absolutely worth it! I can’t let the end define all the other intimately shared experiences of delight! That is distorted thinking… and wimpy risking! Sooo God, guide Ed and me to just the right pup, at the right time to bless our home with crazy, canine energy… and cuteness that is irresistible!