Day 391

Happy Birthday to this boy! Here he is enjoying his Pup Cup from DQ with "Gus"to! Today, he turns two and has emerged into the sweetest, most forgiving dog EVER!

Here are a few of his exploits:

When he was a pup, he jumped on Sleeping Lilly. She jumped up and hit him in the eye, severing the optic nerve! He forgave her.

He was a CHALLENGE as a pup in training. Even our trainer noticed his wild nature! I had to speak firmly...often without love in my voice. He forgave me.

A few months ago, he woke us up with obvious discomfort in his stomach. To the vet and off for exploratory surgery to discover what two suspicious objects (both seen on X-rays) might be in the digestive tract. There was nothing but a nine inch incision to remind him of the event. He forgave us all.

Sam is a piranha puppy when it comes to his brother. (Notice his poor neck!) We lather him with antibiotic and other ointments every night before bed. He forgives his brother.

This list could go on and on and yet he does not hold a grudge. Dogs and children can often be very forgiving and rarely hold any animosity towards their nemesis. We can learn much from that innocence.

Although, as we mature and become more independent, there is a fine balance between trust/forgiveness and doubt/wariness. I tend to fall into the trust and forgiveness camp. There are only a few people in my life who warrant my distrust. Although well earned, I am always ready to lean towards "forgiveness." (Perhaps not "forgetting" the possibility of further betrayal, but always giving a second chance.)

So, like the Birthday Boy, I choose to forgive any mistakes aimed in my direction. This sweet boy is a beacon of light towards unconditional love. On his birthday, he is the gift to us!