Good Deeds

I woke up Saturday morning to glittery snow on the ground and flakes fluttering from the sky. I never thought I’d be excited about 27°F, but when you have a reactive dog, you know it’s trickier to exercise them on the weekends and lovely weather days. So, Mabel and I headed to the quiet dog park, where I knew we’d have three acres all to ourselves.

When I let Mabel into the small fenced-in area, I thought she’d zoom, belly flop, and then roll in the snow. The only thing my sweet girl loves more than leaves, poop, and dirty puddles is snow and thin, crunchy ice on grass. However, Mabel paused and stared towards the other side of the large dog park. And, when I looked in that direction, I saw a dog running, with no human anywhere. I kept watching, hoping to see the dog’s person, and then I worried about how Mabel and I would leave the park.

Just then, I saw a truck slowly driving with the window down. The nice person was also concerned about the wayward dog and told me they would leash it up if I coaxed the considerable canine into the large fenced-in area. As the gorgeous Akita with a therapy dog vest approached, I worked to calm Mabel from the opposite side of the fence. I tried containing my concern about the dog’s ability or interest in climbing the fence to get to my barking girl. I watched closely as the stray dog strolled towards me in the tiny enclosed area I was trying to coax him into so I could secure him in the larger fenced-in field.

My fellow human walked in to check the dog’s tag and asked me for a treat while I praised Mabel for calming down and watched the dog meander around the large area, seemingly carefree. We heard a voice in the distance, and that big boy of a dog gleefully ran towards the call. The man from the truck returned to search for the source, and within a couple of minutes, the dog and human were reunited. Mabel enjoyed her snow zoomies, a giant pittie smile spreading across her face.

I was so grateful for the stranger’s support; I wanted to help the dog with all my heart, but I also needed to keep Mabel’s well-being at the top of my mind. As Mabel and I played and she chased me in the snow, I thought about how easy it is when we read the news to forget all the small acts of kindness people worldwide extend to each other daily. So, today, I’m offering thankfulness for the good deeds people in my life have done for me in the past week.

I’m thankful to Cammie, who works harder with integrity than anyone I’ve ever met, who picked up packing peanuts (environmentally friendly) that prohibited her from seeing out her passenger window and didn’t tell me until after she was at the shop, and who packed up 500 pouches Wednesday. I’m grateful to Jordan, who brings joy to our kitchen days and whose husband fixed a leaky pipe, asking for nothing in return. I sincerely appreciate Sasha, who never seems overwhelmed by Mabel’s energy or changing needs, or me and my attempt to not over-pivot every time we hit a blip. Last but not least, I’m indebted to my mom, who does a million things for me and my family daily with a smile and so much love, including making the cutest Mabel sign for my front door.

May you have beings in your life who give you cause for gratitude.