When someone loved becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure
Of all the memories I have of my sweet friend, Janell, this one stands out in my mind. First of all, I have to move backwards in order to go forward. This was way back when my girls, Holly and Angie, were still living at home.
My older daughter, Angie, has always had a passion for animals. Our daughters both were animal lovers and over the years they would pick up strays and bring them home. Angie had achieved what every teen wants: a driver's license. She was 16 and her sister was 8 years old. Angie was her sister's babysitter and would keep my car most days, during the lazy summer of 1982, so they could go to Juanita's Maxfield's swimming pool and other places. They picked me up at 5 p.m. every day after I finished with my work day.
I was looking out the window, waiting to be picked up when I saw not one head, not two, but three heads in the car. Of course when someone is sitting in the car all you can see is their head. The 3rd head was a very red hairy looking character. Ummmm! As I walked to the car I saw Angie slide over to the passenger seat while I opened the door and took the wheel. The very hairy redhead I had viewed from the window had a very hairy body connected to it. The hairy head had a pink tongue that was dripping saliva at an amazing rate. The mutt, I was looking at with disdain, had crusty eyes, and was very skinny. Angie was performing her sales speech at a very rapid rate, and I wasn't buying into it. She and Holly had, on a whim, been to the city pound to find themselves a pet.
I said, "Angie, we are not keeping that mangy, sore eyed, skinny dog! You have to take it back to the pound tomorrow. It could have rabies or some dog disease, and besides you didn't ask our permission." Angie looked sad, "but mom, we went out there to just look and she came right to us as though she knew us. It was meant to be - - besides she is a great dog." I came back at her with a firm, "No, tomorrow she goes back to the pound as soon as you drop me off at work, end of story!"
However, it wasn't the end of the story. I happened to glance back in the rear view mirror as this dog laid her head on my shoulder. I locked eyes with hers. This dog had the most expressive, kind, loving human eyes I had ever seen, and she was smiling at me. Yes, smiling! Before I drove up in our driveway, I said to my girls, "Well, I think this dog looks like her name should be Sally." Sally she became!
A little over a year later Angie married her childhood sweetheart Bill, and left our home, but Sally stayed. We moved to Fairview and our dog loved having all the space to freely roam about, chasing rabbits, squirrels and birds on the acreage. Our driveway was about 2 acres long and she would run up that driveway when she heard our cars coming up the road. She would be running along with her ears flopping behind her and her pink tongue lolling out to the side of her smiling mouth. She would beat the car to the house and proceed to wait for us. She loved us and we loved her. She was part Irish Setter and mutt!
Over time our friend Janell moved in with us. Sally loved Janell as much as she loved us, and Janell loved her. Sally added Janell to the car following, tail wagging, tongue lolling daily ritual. Janell always leaned down to pet and talk to her - - a partnership was born.
One day, Sally failed to meet my car, and I wondered where she was. I found her lying in the garage looking lethargic. She lifted her head and smiled and tried to get up, but couldn't. We worried she might have been hit by a car. We checked her all over. She didn't wince or act like anything was broken or out of place, but it was all she could do to drag herself to the grass next to the garage to relieve herself. She drank water from our cupped hands. My husband carried her to the vet who ran tests and diagnosed Sally with advanced heart worms. He said it was too late to treat her with medications and suggested it was best to have her euthanized or take her home and let her live out her final days.
Every day Janell would stop and place her hands on Sally's frail body and pray for healing. Sally continued to smile at us and wag her tail, but laid there. Janell never passed by her that she didn't stop and lay hands on her and say a simple prayer of healing. One day I told Janell to save her prayers because Sally wasn't going to make it. She continued to pray.
Not long after we brought her home, I was driving up our drive when out of the corner of my eye I saw a red blur. Did I see what I thought I saw? I looked again. It was Sally running down the driveway to meet me; her ears flopping, her tongue lolling and her tail propelling her along. She was her old self. I choked up with tears of joy. Our woman of Faith, Janell, prayed the prayer of faith and Sally understood. Janell believed it could happen. Sally lived in good health for two more years. What a gift!
Recently Janell, who had been having the best time of her life, called me to let me know she was diagnosed with cancer. We didn't have any fear. We both knew she would conquer this - - our Faith and hers would prevail. A short time later, Janell went home and her healing was complete. I believe when Janell walked into God's light she saw a red blur named Sally, with her tail wagging, pink tongue lolling, big dog smile, running to greet Janell on September 28, 2010, as they moved forward to the gates of their heavenly home.
My older daughter, Angie, has always had a passion for animals. Our daughters both were animal lovers and over the years they would pick up strays and bring them home. Angie had achieved what every teen wants: a driver's license. She was 16 and her sister was 8 years old. Angie was her sister's babysitter and would keep my car most days, during the lazy summer of 1982, so they could go to Juanita's Maxfield's swimming pool and other places. They picked me up at 5 p.m. every day after I finished with my work day.
I was looking out the window, waiting to be picked up when I saw not one head, not two, but three heads in the car. Of course when someone is sitting in the car all you can see is their head. The 3rd head was a very red hairy looking character. Ummmm! As I walked to the car I saw Angie slide over to the passenger seat while I opened the door and took the wheel. The very hairy redhead I had viewed from the window had a very hairy body connected to it. The hairy head had a pink tongue that was dripping saliva at an amazing rate. The mutt, I was looking at with disdain, had crusty eyes, and was very skinny. Angie was performing her sales speech at a very rapid rate, and I wasn't buying into it. She and Holly had, on a whim, been to the city pound to find themselves a pet.
I said, "Angie, we are not keeping that mangy, sore eyed, skinny dog! You have to take it back to the pound tomorrow. It could have rabies or some dog disease, and besides you didn't ask our permission." Angie looked sad, "but mom, we went out there to just look and she came right to us as though she knew us. It was meant to be - - besides she is a great dog." I came back at her with a firm, "No, tomorrow she goes back to the pound as soon as you drop me off at work, end of story!"
However, it wasn't the end of the story. I happened to glance back in the rear view mirror as this dog laid her head on my shoulder. I locked eyes with hers. This dog had the most expressive, kind, loving human eyes I had ever seen, and she was smiling at me. Yes, smiling! Before I drove up in our driveway, I said to my girls, "Well, I think this dog looks like her name should be Sally." Sally she became!
A little over a year later Angie married her childhood sweetheart Bill, and left our home, but Sally stayed. We moved to Fairview and our dog loved having all the space to freely roam about, chasing rabbits, squirrels and birds on the acreage. Our driveway was about 2 acres long and she would run up that driveway when she heard our cars coming up the road. She would be running along with her ears flopping behind her and her pink tongue lolling out to the side of her smiling mouth. She would beat the car to the house and proceed to wait for us. She loved us and we loved her. She was part Irish Setter and mutt!
Over time our friend Janell moved in with us. Sally loved Janell as much as she loved us, and Janell loved her. Sally added Janell to the car following, tail wagging, tongue lolling daily ritual. Janell always leaned down to pet and talk to her - - a partnership was born.
One day, Sally failed to meet my car, and I wondered where she was. I found her lying in the garage looking lethargic. She lifted her head and smiled and tried to get up, but couldn't. We worried she might have been hit by a car. We checked her all over. She didn't wince or act like anything was broken or out of place, but it was all she could do to drag herself to the grass next to the garage to relieve herself. She drank water from our cupped hands. My husband carried her to the vet who ran tests and diagnosed Sally with advanced heart worms. He said it was too late to treat her with medications and suggested it was best to have her euthanized or take her home and let her live out her final days.
Every day Janell would stop and place her hands on Sally's frail body and pray for healing. Sally continued to smile at us and wag her tail, but laid there. Janell never passed by her that she didn't stop and lay hands on her and say a simple prayer of healing. One day I told Janell to save her prayers because Sally wasn't going to make it. She continued to pray.
Not long after we brought her home, I was driving up our drive when out of the corner of my eye I saw a red blur. Did I see what I thought I saw? I looked again. It was Sally running down the driveway to meet me; her ears flopping, her tongue lolling and her tail propelling her along. She was her old self. I choked up with tears of joy. Our woman of Faith, Janell, prayed the prayer of faith and Sally understood. Janell believed it could happen. Sally lived in good health for two more years. What a gift!
Recently Janell, who had been having the best time of her life, called me to let me know she was diagnosed with cancer. We didn't have any fear. We both knew she would conquer this - - our Faith and hers would prevail. A short time later, Janell went home and her healing was complete. I believe when Janell walked into God's light she saw a red blur named Sally, with her tail wagging, pink tongue lolling, big dog smile, running to greet Janell on September 28, 2010, as they moved forward to the gates of their heavenly home.
posted by Sasebone at
11:37 AM
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