Day 7111

Along with the "Nose Art," our sweet Gus is always checking in on us. We smile when he watches because he only has sight in his left eye ...the right eye doesn't need to be part of the picture. He will stand in a doorway with only his left eye watching, look from behind a tree...no right eye necessary... and watch us through the window with his handsome profile. One would think he had no disability whatsoever. Typically, he doesn't miss a beat, but every so often, he will suddenly turn right and BLAM into a tree, doorway or other inanimate object. Poor guy! Even WE forget he has some challenges!

We were on an adventure today (without dogs) and I thought of Gus more than once. It seemed that there were many people with very obvious disabilities around us. Wheelchairs, canes, service dogs and other visual cues helped us to respect individuals' space and self esteem. Suddenly, I thought of our Golden Boy with his, somewhat, invisible disability. How many people had we walked by who were struggling with something unseen?

A feeling of empathy began to flow towards the crowd along with a new-found understanding. On the continuum of life's challenges, we all have some type of disability. My gratitude was immense that I might only be dealing with bad knees at this point in my life. Others had obvious struggles and were living their best life while, perhaps there were many who showed no outward sign of struggles.

Disabilities are everywhere. To honor the bravery of those who cannot hide their challenges should be only human. To accept that others struggle with unseen disabilities is a goal in my life. Just choosing kindness and empathy, with those we encounter, is a good start.