Just what I needed today...

Early this morning, at around 3 am, Ferdinand woke me up with a persistent adamant desire to be let outside. I groggily got up and let him out and headed back to my warm bed, but he starting barking as loud as he could...or at least, it sounded particularly loud considering the hour of blackness that surrounded our neighborhood. I trudged back up the stairs muttering to myself about "stupid dogs" imagining him barking at nothingness and shadow. I stepped out onto the front step and tried to focus my bleary eyes on where the barking was coming from while demanding in a hushed voice that he needed to "stop it!" But...something was strange. half of my new 6 foot high bamboo fence was GONE. I had just installed it 2 months ago, and now....it was gone. My heart sank..."What the F(*%$!" I ran toward where it had been, and saw that the portion that seemed to be missing was laying in the street, cut down! Ferdinand was barking like mad, and I realized that he had caught the person doing it in action before they could cut down the entire stretch of fencing. I hugged him..."What a GOOD dog! Good job baby!"

I ran in the house to get my sleeping husband so that we could put it back up in a haphazard way before it was run over by the morning traffic. We worked quickly in the dark, trying to figure out why someone would do something like that...was it just mischeivious vandalism? Was someone trying to steal the rolls of bamboo for their own use? Why do people attack other peoples personal space? Thank goodness for BIG, SMART, WONDERFUL dogs!!!

Once the fencing was up again, and the adrenaline started to ease, we brought our Big wonderful watch dog in the house and admired how he plopped down with an "Oooomf"--the satisfied sound of a dog that knows he's done a good day's (and night's) work. I closed my eyes to images of baggy pants and hoodies cutting down the fencing that I had worked tirelessly to put up....now I had to do it all over again...but with thicker wire, and much much more of it!

I woke up feeling a combination of loneliness and hope; a wistful feeling that was permeated by the rays of sunshine blasting in through the cracks of my bedroom curtains.

It's Saturday and my husband and I were to go on a walk in a nearby meadow where the buttercups and bluebells are starting to erupt. Blue birds in a vibrant shade of Indigo were flitting about, singing their song of springtime glory and Felix and Ferdinand were playfully romping around the field showing off their puppy souls with delight. We talked about the purple and yellow flowers in the field, about Simon and Alexander, about how wonderful it was to have such perfectly perfect dogs to ensure protection and vigilance to things we cannot see or hear with human eyes and ears.
We talked about the incredible things that are happening in our government right now, from helping people stay in their homes to attacking the unregulated predators of the private student loan business. We addressed the effects of stress and strain on even the most loving relationship, and held each other close in the midst of birdsong and whispering breeze.

Turning back toward home, we talked about the mindfulness that occurs when walking a pair of big dogs as opposed to walking alone; because you must be in control, you must be alert...and peaceful. They can feel your energy, and walk more easily when you are in control and at peace. We came to the fence, which was wobbly and ill-placed now as a result of our inability to really "do it right" at the witching hour of 3 am.

Ty left to record a CD with his band, The Voodoo Horseshoes, and I turned on the crock-pot that contained last nights veggie soup. I came downstairs to my bedroom/office, turned on the treadmill and computer and started walking my way through emails, face book posts, and newly commissioned writing assignments. I noticed that Waterfall Angels was announcing new photos and started admiring the beauty of Rainbow Falls....and then...I realized that they were there too! Simon and Alexander....were at Rainbow Falls.







Seeing their names, remembered in such a beautiful place, meant the world to me. That selfless deeds like this are happening in my world, given by dear people who give simply because they know how much it means...well...it counteracts the acts of selfish disregard that are found in other pockets of time. It laughs at the vandal who spent time breaking something down that I built to create a sense of space and privacy for my family, and shares something beautiful instead. Thank you. Thank you for making this moment so precious. Actions like these are powerful testaments of the beauty that humanity has to offer...it is special, and reminds me that we can each do a little something to truly make the world a better place.