From my brilliant friend Sage Cohen:
At the rehab vet's office tonight, I met a Corgie on wheels. His hind feet were wrapped in bandages and covered with neon socks; they dragged behind him as the little metal cart supported his rear end. By compensating for his back legs with wheels, the cart allowed him to leverage his front legs for complete mobility. His "wheelchair" had a little American flag poking out of it. This crippled, happy, well-loved dog was the metaphor I needed today to reconcile my 9/11 unease. There is cruelty in this world, and there is joy; we can feel unlucky that our legs don't work or lucky that we are fortunate enough to have wheels.
This dog's parents were there in the waiting room together (you almost never see both parents at the vet's office) and they were in such a damned jolly mood about everything--including the hour-plus backlog of waiting, that I was shaken out of my own small thinking about what had seemed earlier today like insurmountable struggle. I was reminded that people can simply be happy together; that this is the brick and mortar upon which our world is built and built again. Kindness is our most precious natural resource. It can never be taken from us, no matter what falls from the sky.
We can feel unlucky that our legs don't work or lucky that we are fortunate enough to have wheels.
It's pretty tough to read that and not feel inspired to 1) be thankful for my blessings and 2) get off my ass and get busy putting those blessings to good use. Thanks, Sage. Excerpt from Fearless Love of the Universe.
Photo of Lily courtesy of Pawprints, which is supporting the efforts of the Humane Society of South Mississippi and the SPCA of Louisiana as they deal with the continued aftereffects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
