All Dogs Go to Heaven: Saying Goodbye To A Friend You Never Knew

A picture left behind in a secluded part of the house, gave some clue as to my friend’s likeness. Matching the fur was no problem.

I knew once I saw what I saw, there was no going back. What was seen couldn’t be unseen. I had to do something for my friend

Near my Savannah training location used while competing in the States and as a temporary guest of my US host family, sits a power company right-of-way with forests on either side.

I’ve traveled this way every day via Segway and walked my racing bikes this way to get to side roads for cycling training before hitting the busy roads.  I noticed the pet carrier but never thought to look in it. Once I did, I knew a friend needed my help.

Inside the pet carrier were the remains of a small dog. More than likely the dog whose picture I had. More than likely the dog whose teeth marks were evident in several places. More than likely the dog of the previous residents.

I was momentarily confused and incensed: How could this be? How can this happen?

My inner voice steadied me and got me on track: “This isn’t right – it sucks! Make It Right!“

I knew that I couldn’t let this be. All dogs are my friends – the same with horses. I knew my friend deserved a decent burial.

My friend had no name since I found no tag with his/her collar. I’d hate to think my friend died alone and in pain. Someone should be severely chastised – even punished for not properly showing respect for this animal.

While carefully gathering each and every bone fragment, lots of thoughts through my head.

I’d like to think good things about this dog’s life, but there are few encouraging signs.

Was it sick and left to die? Was it already dead and just left? Was it suffering?

I may never know the answers to these and so many other questions; but one thing I can answer – my friend will have its remains cared for and buried with all the rights, privileges & love worthy of a friend on Wednesday.

And I doesn’t matter if I didn’t know his/her name. Much like the Unknown Soldier, the name is known only to God.

I’ll have closure with that.

Crash

Random Acts of Kindness: Paid in Full

Mystery diner pays for family’s dinner, leaves encouraging note

CHINA GROVE, NC –

A family in Rowan County got an unexpected, and inspiring, note when they were out to dinner on Friday. A photo of the note is going viral.

Ashley England tells WBTV that she went to dinner with her family on Friday evening, including her 8-year-old son, Riley. The family was sitting at a table at the Stag n Doe, in China Grove when Riley, who has special needs, began to get “a little rowdy.”

“The past few weeks have been very hard and trying for us – especially with public outings,” England told WBTV. “Riley was getting loud and hitting the table and I know it was aggravating to some people.”

That’s when she says a waitress walked over to the table with tears in her eye and a note.

“I’ll try to do this without crying,” the waitress told the family. “But another customer has paid for your bill tonight and wanted me to give you this note.”

The note read: “God only gives special children to special people.”

England says the kindness of the mystery diner made her cry.

“To have someone do that small act towards us shows that some people absolutely understand what we are going through and how hard it is to face the public sometimes,” she said. “They made me cry, blessed me more than they know – I felt like out of all the rude negative comments that we are faced with – these outweighs them. The people who care!”

She says she wants to say thank you to the person that paid for their meal and sent the encouraging words.

“Little did he know what struggles we had been facing lately and this was surely needed at that moment,” she said. “Thank you!”

Crash

Windows

 

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood.

The next morning while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside.

“That laundry is not very clean; she doesn’t know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap.” Her husband looks on, remaining silent. Every time her neighbor hangs her wash to dry, the young woman makes the same comments.

A month later, the woman is surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and says to her husband,

“Look, she’s finally learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this? ”

The husband replies,

“I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows.”

And so it is with life. What we see when watching others depends on the clarity of the window through which we look

(Courtesy of  No-Exceptions.org)

Crash