Here’s Shadow-dog with mud on his forehead. The fence is 4′ tall, with the top of this gate – off the ground – standing at about 4’4″. He could easily put a paw on either shoulder of a 6’2″ man, you know, to ask “Where have you been?” you know, for someone friendly. You see that pipe he’s leaning on? In the next picture, that’s what you see to the left of the picture, looking way, way down to miniscule Laudie-dog. Her greeting is a tap-dance step she knows. I say miniscule, but that’s relative, as she’s about 40 pounds, while Shadow-dog is not quite three times that.
On one of the Communion Calls yesterday – that household having a half-dozen dogs inside – I showed the following picture of Laudie-dog, making the elderly-infirm there go “Awwwww!” with smiles all around, and a chuckle as to how wonderful Laudie-dog is. :-)
Archbishop Fulton J Sheen says that when you visit those who are suffering, try to break the dynamic of suffering, the ol’ dragging all the suffering of the past into the present, and dragging al the predicted suffering of the future into the present, making for extreme agony. Break that, he said, with some humor. Make them laugh.
After seeing the face of Laudie-dog, all were ready to see the Holy Face of Jesus, our Eucharistic King. Of course, we had more preparation for Holy Communion! But don’t discount that in Genesis we read that the animals were created as a help to us all. We need all the help we can get, and if this works to break the suffering enough to pay attention in rejoicing to Christ Jesus, Divine Son of the Immaculate Conception, I won’t hesitate for a second.
Later, I let everyone see the picture of Shadow-dog above. “Oh! … Wow! …” was the reaction. :-)
P.S.: Laudie-dog’s tail had been cosmetically chopped off (Grrrr!) Shadow-dog’s tail, bigger than Laudie-dog all on its own, suffices for both.
P.Ss.: Many Nursing Home / Rehabs are cautiously opening up around the country. Those who have been inside have been cooped up WAY TOO LONG. How about signing up to be one of those volunteers who walks people around outside for some fresh air and a change of scenery, offering good conversation and friendship in the Lord? “…and you visited me,” says the Lord God, who will come to judge the living and the dead and the world by fire. Amen.
By the way, will doing something like that also help you to break any monotony of Covid that you have have been in. If it was all weird for you, imagine what it was like for them.
ARISE! LET US BE GOING! 
They are both beautiful! Shadow Dog, a bit intimidating, and Laudie Dog with those big, soul-seeing eyes. You are blessed to have them. I rescue animals, and they rescue me. Each animal is a story. Thanks for sharing them with us!
We adopted a rescue cat. She is beautiful, and aloof. She is feline through and through. Although I have had cats (and dogs) for pets all my life, I have never has one like her. She is fussy, demanding, and despite being catered to 24/7, she is never to be satisfied. She rejects our attempts of affection and leaves us in total confusion. But she is a gift, because she has taught me a lot. One day I realized that I treat God the way she treats me. He does everything for me and I do not realize and appreciate much – but wail and demand what I want -not what God gives me.
So despite the fact that she drives me to distraction – I have come to appreciate her for the true gift she is. Now I am woke! (To God)
Thank God for animals. They are truly blessings.