Reflections

This morning, the postal carrier brought me a most precious package. It was the urn I ordered from Debra (From Skilled Hands) and her husband Steve. Duke is finally at rest in a spot on my mantel, and this urn is a work of art. Sometimes when I'd look at my dog, I'd wonder how his black coat could appear to be such deep a shade of blue, so this piece is a great tribute to him.

I called to personally thank Debra for making this and we had a wonderful and long talk. It's funny, but from reading her site, I feel like I know her well. From Saturday's comments on my post, I'd say she's a fierce advocate and someone I'd like having in my corner. When I hung up, I had a feeling that in an instant, the world seemed a little bit smaller and more manageable. I made her a promise that I'd detour off my usual path the next time I travel to Virginia and come to meet her in person. I want to see her town that she so eloquently writes about every Monday.

On the day that Duke died, I got emails from quite a few people, including bloggers. One such email was from Brenda. She knew she had my address somewhere, but couldn't find it. Not wanting to wait, she scanned a beautiful card and sent it to me the fast way. I was so touched by her words of comfort.

A few days later, I got an email from a man named Steve Smith. Being a trusting soul, I opened the email he'd written to let me know that Amy had made a "fabulous donation" to his Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary in Montana as a memorial for Duke. I was flabbergasted. Like the Grinch, I think my heart grew two sizes that day. I'm touched to my core by the actions of people I know only through words.

Yesterday's responses to my post about lessons learned humbles me. Your words of wisdom and support give me the courage to plow ahead with all of the tasks ahead of me, including taking on government agencies. I'll do that Monday. Today, I'm going to reflect on the fact that indeed, this is a small world and we aren't so very different after all. We are all just trying to get by and if able, make a difference. Let me say here, you have all made a significant and positive impact on my outlook. Thank you for your inspiring words and deeds.