Rescued

I was working at my computer the other day and there, beside me, was our dog fast asleep and snoring; oblivious of anyone around him. He often sleeps in this position.

I looked at him and thought, "I wonder whether he realises how lucky he is?"

We got him from a rescue centre some years ago. The rescue centre was full of dogs of all breeds and sizes, Alsatians, Huskies, Labradors, Dalmatians and various small dogs too. Each in his cage, side by side, barking and jumping at the cage door as you pass by. We felt sorry for all these abandoned dogs, some were young puppies. If we could, we would have adopted them all.

As we were moving from one cage to another trying to make up our minds, the attendant suggested we look at another dog. He took us to a secluded part of the rescue centre, and there, all alone in a solitary cage was the dog we were to adopt. I thought it funny at the time that he was in a cage away from the other dogs, especially since there were empty cages over there. Why was he left in a different area all alone?

The attendant took him out of the cage and the dog immediately jumped on us, waggling his tail and licking faces. It was as if he was pleading to be taken away.

The attendant read us his history. For confidential reasons he would not tell us who owned him and how he ended up in the rescue centre. But he told us that this dog had been re-homed several times, and each time he was returned to the rescue centre within a week or so. Obviously a problem dog; but the attendant would not tell us what was the problem.

The rescue centre had a policy not to put a healthy dog down. So, if not re-homed, this dog would spend his life in that cage away from all other dogs.

We decided to take a chance ... just for a week. That was ten years ago and the dog is still with us.

He was a problem dog. He attacked the furniture and  ruined the sofa. He was very fearful and followed us everywhere. Up the stairs, down the stairs, he was inches away from us. He still has the habit of coming down the stairs in front of us and then suddenly stop and look back to see if we're following. Rather a dangerous manoeuvre if we trip on him and come tumbling down the stairs. When we sit watching TV he comes close and literally falls asleep on our feet to make sure we do not move. He can be heavy, especially when your feet get numb with his weight.

But he is still with us. Does he realise how lucky he is?

A bit like us really. Do we know how lucky we are?

Let us look at our situation. Do we realise how lucky we are to live where we happen to live? In a town, city or in the countryside? Enjoying the amenities they offer?

Do we realise how lucky we are to be with the family we are with? To have been born and raised by the parents we have? Do we realise how lucky we are of the friendships we have made? The partners we have in life? The jobs we have? And all the other things we have in life?

Let's think about it for a moment. We could have been born anywhere else, in another time frame, in another set of circumstances, raised by other parents with totally different opportunities or lack thereof.

But we didn't. We were born and raised the way we are. For good or bad we are here.

How lucky we are.

Maybe ... there's Someone up there in control of it all!