Willy the Jim on of Dogs, and how My Prayer was Answered

[Guest guest]

The beautiful " puppy sighs " story reminded me of an amazing pound

experience I had several years ago with a dog named Willy. While

living in Coastal North Carolina, my then-husband and I went to the

pound and found a gorgeous creamy mutt, part yellow lab and part who

knows what. He was really too old to train at a year and a half.

Fixed in his ways. But what did I know? He was beautiful.

Willy turned out to be beyond incorrigible. He was the Jim on

of dogs. High maintenance. Dysfunctional. Chewed things, dug holes

everywhere. He head butted my knee when I was writing for attention.

But I loved him anyway. He was sweet, like an overgrown child. I

took him to dog training school. We were there with the other dog

mommies and daddies, and their (younger!) pups, Willy and me. He did

OK, sort of. I worked with him a lot. But, well, he liked things how

he liked them. It wasn't looking like there was going to be an end

to this, or any improvement.

Then, I got an invitation from Omega Institute to come stay there as

Artist-in-Residence for a month. I would have a solo show, and teach

staff development classes in my specialty areas, Visionary Art and

Practical Sacred Space. I would get to do art and Guided Imagery in

the ultimate Holistic center in the US!

As I prepared, Willy grew ever more demanding. And I realized, my

husband, who had wanted Willy in the first place, but had never

taken any interest in him once we got him home, was not going to be

able to handle Willy while I was gone. Nor did he want to. I was

peri-menopausal, really feeling the need to take care of myself

after child-raising and move forward as me. I would need to log may

hours planning my classes and getting ready for prparing my show

before I went. I was going to have to find another home for Willy.

Easier said than done. I put ads in the paper, signs up, made phone

calls, you name it. And finally, with only a few weeks to my

departure, I prepared with a heavy heart to do the unthinkable: take

him back to the pound. It was the only alternative. On D-day, I

hugged him tight and told him he was going to find a home better

suited to his needs, where he could get the attention he needed and

he would be accepted as he was. I smudged him, affirming the he was

now " magnetizing " this new owner. I said a prayer of thanks. And

then we went.

When we got to the pound, it didn't seem open. had I gotten the time

wrong? I got out and looked at the sign on the door. It was going to

be closed for another three hours. There was a woman parked in a

truck. She called out the window to me.

" What are you doing? "

I was already having a hard time controlling the tears that wanted

to come up.

" What are you doing? " she insisted.

" I have no alternative, " I said.

" Don't you know what they do to dogs here? " she pressed.

I was raised as a polite little Quaker girl from Philadelphia. But

the pressure of letting go of Willy, trying to stay confident for

him, to move into the unknown while feeling the uncertainly and lack

of support...what would be the beginnings of the dissolution my

marriage...it was too much. And I didn't want to cry.

" Do you want to take this dog? " I burst out.

" Why, yes " she said. " I do. "

But I wasn't going to let him go that easily. Was she the one?

" You need to know some things about him, " I said. " He needs a lot of

love and attention. "

" I'm retired. I have lots of time. "

" He digs. He'll wreck your garden and your lawn.

" I don't care. He can have at it. "

" He likes the beach. Will you take him to the beach? "

" I live in Swansboro. Practically at the beach. I go there all the

time. "

" OK, I said. He's yours. I'll go home and get his toys, his

medicine, his food and his treats and I'll be right back. "

" OK, " she said. " We'll wait for you. "

So Willy and she waited for me. And when I came back, they were

already friends. And I thought as I drove away and saw her truck on

its way to Swansboro, doggy heaven, out my rear view mirror, " What

was she doing, sitting in the pound parking lot three hours before

they opened? And I thanked God for answering my prayer.

[Guest guest]

What a beautiful story, it brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for sharing.

In peace, love and light,

carol

On 2/2/08, art4spirit <art4spirit@...> wrote:

The beautiful " puppy sighs " story reminded me of an amazing pound experience I had several years ago with a dog named Willy. While living in Coastal North Carolina, my then-husband and I went to the

pound and found a gorgeous creamy mutt, part yellow lab and part who knows what. He was really too old to train at a year and a half. Fixed in his ways. But what did I know? He was beautiful.Willy turned out to be beyond incorrigible. He was the Jim on

of dogs. High maintenance. Dysfunctional. Chewed things, dug holes everywhere. He head butted my knee when I was writing for attention. But I loved him anyway. He was sweet, like an overgrown child. I took him to dog training school. We were there with the other dog

mommies and daddies, and their (younger!) pups, Willy and me. He did OK, sort of. I worked with him a lot. But, well, he liked things how he liked them. It wasn't looking like there was going to be an end

to this, or any improvement. Then, I got an invitation from Omega Institute to come stay there as Artist-in-Residence for a month. I would have a solo show, and teach staff development classes in my specialty areas, Visionary Art and

Practical Sacred Space. I would get to do art and Guided Imagery in the ultimate Holistic center in the US! As I prepared, Willy grew ever more demanding. And I realized, my husband, who had wanted Willy in the first place, but had never

taken any interest in him once we got him home, was not going to be able to handle Willy while I was gone. Nor did he want to. I was peri-menopausal, really feeling the need to take care of myself after child-raising and move forward as me. I would need to log may

hours planning my classes and getting ready for prparing my show before I went. I was going to have to find another home for Willy.Easier said than done. I put ads in the paper, signs up, made phone calls, you name it. And finally, with only a few weeks to my

departure, I prepared with a heavy heart to do the unthinkable: take him back to the pound. It was the only alternative. On D-day, I hugged him tight and told him he was going to find a home better suited to his needs, where he could get the attention he needed and

he would be accepted as he was. I smudged him, affirming the he was now " magnetizing " this new owner. I said a prayer of thanks. And then we went.When we got to the pound, it didn't seem open. had I gotten the time

wrong? I got out and looked at the sign on the door. It was going to be closed for another three hours. There was a woman parked in a truck. She called out the window to me. " What are you doing? "

I was already having a hard time controlling the tears that wanted to come up. " What are you doing? " she insisted. " I have no alternative, " I said. " Don't you know what they do to dogs here? " she pressed.

I was raised as a polite little Quaker girl from Philadelphia. But the pressure of letting go of Willy, trying to stay confident for him, to move into the unknown while feeling the uncertainly and lack of support...what would be the beginnings of the dissolution my

marriage...it was too much. And I didn't want to cry. " Do you want to take this dog? " I burst out. " Why, yes " she said. " I do. " But I wasn't going to let him go that easily. Was she the one?

" You need to know some things about him, " I said. " He needs a lot of love and attention. " " I'm retired. I have lots of time. " " He digs. He'll wreck your garden and your lawn.

" I don't care. He can have at it. " " He likes the beach. Will you take him to the beach? " " I live in Swansboro. Practically at the beach. I go there all the time. "

" OK, I said. He's yours. I'll go home and get his toys, his medicine, his food and his treats and I'll be right back. " " OK, " she said. " We'll wait for you. "

So Willy and she waited for me. And when I came back, they were already friends. And I thought as I drove away and saw her truck on its way to Swansboro, doggy heaven, out my rear view mirror, " What was she doing, sitting in the pound parking lot three hours before

they opened? And I thanked God for answering my prayer. -- reiki.carol@...

Reiki Healerhttp://www.the-dhn.com/Usui Reiki Master-TeacherWhite Dove Reiki Sekhem-Seichim Reiki