It has been a real difficult time for me these last two weeks. We all go through patches like this in our lives. I seem to be losing some dear friends both out of town and here in the Foothills. Most have been suffering some sort of illness and their demise was imminent. All we can do is pray they will not experience any pain and that the good Lord will welcome them into His kingdom. One friend’s demise was totally unexpected and left all who knew him in shock. Ernie Giannini was a good man who will be sorely missed.

A few weeks ago I was lamenting losing some of my four-legged friends, so all things combined have left me in some sort of funk. There’s nothing that can come of it and I suppose it’s healthy to mourn, but, after all is said and done, life must go on.

I did as I usually do, I prayed for my lost friends and I asked for guidance. I decided to take a trip down to the Foothills Humane Society. 

As my Christmas poem states, going back to my roots, seeing my kids at the shelter always puts my life back in prospective.

When I arrive I get the feeling that the animals can sense that I’m about and in my head I swear I can hear, “Uncle Lennie’s here.” I pass by the cages and I have a great urge to enter each cage and embrace them all.

Beautiful Gunther, a hound, greets me with his sad eyes. Ben, a 2-year-old Boxer, just steals my heart as he greets me with the dance of joy. Sweet, sweet Meadow, a pit mix … the loving look on her face brought immediate tears to my eyes. I’ve written about so many of this breed, what more can I say that going there and looking into their hearts couldn’t reveal?

I pass another cage and there’s a little guy jumping up and down, “Pick me, Uncle Lennie, pick me.” Intrigued, I look at his card. His name is Squirrel, a 2-year-old, Beagle-Feist mix, that looks somewhat like a Shiba Inu. I go in the office and check his sheet. He’s a stray, up to date on all vaccinations, micro chipped, heartworm negative, goes into play mode when introduced to other dogs and loves people.

I get help putting on his harness and take the little ball of energy for a walk around the compound. Squirrel is just full of himself, marking the territory every two feet and when he ran out of juice, he pooped. He is so happy and full of life; my eyes once again fill with tears. I look up to the heavens, “Thank you Lord, I get the message.”

Please come and visit my kids at the shelter, they will most definitely do more to improve your life than you can for them. All are beautiful, but check out Gunther, Ben, Meadow and defiantly sweet little Squirrel.

Thanks for listening.