Unconditional Love

We were always on the go so much when the kids were growing up that we didn't have time to have a pet. The kids never seemed to mind, because they knew that we could not take care of an animal if we were going to travel, play sports, etc. and that seemed to be more important at the time. As the kids got older the need for that "unconditional love" that comes along with having a dog (cats expect unconditional love whereas dogs just give it willingly) seemed to grow stronger than the need to be gone all the time.


On my youngest daughter's 11th birthday, we had a spend the night birthday party at our house. The next morning one of the neighborhood girls that was staying over realized she had left her medicine at home and off the group of girls went to retrieve it. Well.... to make a really long story short, not only did they come home with the medicine, but they brought along this tiny little brown and white ball that was covered in fleas. Having been a dog person all my life, of course my heart immediately melted and he has held it ever since. He was named Lucky by vote of all the girls at the party (mine was the only other vote and I wanted "E.B." which would be short for Ed Beagle - as in Ed Beagley. Since none of the girls had a clue who Ed Beagley was, I of course lost by a landslide). From then on Lucky ruled the house.

My husband had always insisted that we did not need a dog, but our daughter had a way of getting what she wanted no matter what. . . . after picking fleas off of the poor little puppy for over an hour, both the puppy and I were exhausted. We made a little pallet on the living room floor for the now clean dog and when my husband (who had been in the bedroom watching a race and had no idea what was going on in the rest of the house) came through, he looked down and in a not so happy voice said, "What is that?". Well baby girl in all her wisdom immediately said, "Well, duh, Daddy - it's a dog!" - at which point I figured that hubby dear would kill her, but he didn't. Sooooo, the rest is history. Lucky stayed and won over all the hearts in the family.

As time went by, our little household grew to include four dogs - Lucky, Yancey (who has since gone to doggie heaven), her puppy - Sweet Pea, and A.J. (which stands for Adam, Jr. but don't ask...). It is amazing to me everyday just how much they love this family. And it is indeed an unconditional love - there are never any strings, except maybe wanting to be petted all the time, but that just goes with being a dog. I know they love me, because when I leave the room, there is the pitter patter of small, medium and large feet coming right along behind me, even if I leave for just a moment.

Their joy in life seems to be in pleasing and being with their "family". And you know what - to me that is a great philosophy. . . . find joy by pleasing, taking pleasure in being with, and unconditionally loving your family and friends.