Grace

Each step I took made me feel a little better about myself and hopeful about my future. The street was so quiet at this hour in the morning that I could focus on the sounds of birds singing in the trees. They were performing a sweet song of hope; a song that made me want to give myself a chance just like I had given Blondie when I rescued her from the pound. In this holy moment, I felt the interconnectedness of all things. I looked at Blondie and took a deep breath, quieting my mind for just a moment. I had to work hard at staying in the present moment, not feeling freighted about tomorrow, scared that I would never find a human partner to share my life with. It was a struggle to keep myself from being depressed with sad memories of loss from my past. But that day, I was persevering. My heart over-flowed with gratitude. I could hardly believe how lucky I was to have rescued my pound mutt Blondie. I felt connected to her and yet so much a piece of a bigger picture, a part of nature. It was as though the great oneness of all that is and the beauty of nature collided and came shining through my golden dog's eyes. Blondie brought me to a deep understanding of love, of unity and of God. 

The funny part was I didn’t come to this understanding through some big, monumental moment where the red sea parted or angels flew down to me from heaven. It happened in the quiet morning when the two of us walked together watching the sun shine through sticky purple blooms on the Jacaranda trees that surrounded us. It was simply a flash of grace.