Dogs Know a Thing or Two About People
Our 5 year old German Shepherd can be unpredictable with people. When someone that he’s unfamiliar with comes to our home Griffin makes an assessment. Some people he is indifferent with, sometimes he growls, and then there are the ones that he loves instantly.
Griffin
Friends from our past came for dinner last night, lovely, kind friends who are pure of heart. This was a beautiful night. We sat down at 6:30 and said our goodbyes at 12:30! Six hours of great food, great wine, deep and open conversation. I have always loved Keith and Norma. There is so much warmth and a beautiful connection between the two of them, so when they are together it just spills over on to others in the room.
This dinner was so much more than food. It was a discovery that as Norma put it perfectly: “we all have our own shit” My shit is well known, to the point that I’m sure someone would say... what the hell did you do to piss God off so much! Believe me I’ve asked myself that many times. The truth is that suffering make life electric. It wakes you from the sleep of a comfortable, predictable, safe life and reminds you that there are no guarantees. We reminisce about trips, and insecurities, and life after retirement. Keith was the reason I met my husband. We were all riding in a century for MS. I came with a friend and was separated from my first husband. I loved to ride my road bike and was a strong, but technically green, rider. One hour into the ride my friend fell off. I on the other hand, spotted these guys hammering in a fluid and dance like line, called a pace line. It was a beautiful thing to watch. So this doesn’t speak well of me—but I ditched my friend and snuck onto the back of their mini freight train. It was invigorating! I was going so fast because they were blocking the winds. They didn’t know that I was there, and I wasn’t going to jeopardize my fun, so kept quiet. Keith saw me, and my life changed forever. We rode together many times from that day. My favorite was 4 notches and a pass. A hundred grueling miles through the white mountains of New Hampshire. Here’s what I learned that night. I wasn’t the only one who felt that that ride was epic. Keith had thought that it wouldn’t be a bad place for some of his ashes. I too would like part of me on Mt Washington. When I turned 50 John pulled out all the stops and we went to Peter Island. It’s a bougie private island. Here’s the thing, a few months later I had my first stroke. There is danger in hinging on your savings and zest for living until the “golden years”. There are no guarantees. I’m the poster child for that one!
Norma is insightful. She has every right to mount herself on the pity-potty but choses to face her situation with clarity. To my devastation, she mentioned that she was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. So often I have felt alone in my disability and now my disease. I have this vision in my head of a concentrated group of healthy people and a shield protecting them. And then there are a handful of people on the outside unable to enter because they don’t belong. It sad to me that I feel comforted that I’m not alone. It means others are suffering too. My rekindled need for that human connection is melting that image. The only one who places me outside is me.
Her treatments will start in a few weeks. So much is on her side...the love of Keith and her family. The love of all her friends (everyone loves Norma) and her positivity. Feeling connected can energize a person and keep them away from the dark places I’ve been. Keith and Norma are gems. Griffin gave his stamp of approval.
