WILD VIOLETS AND A PRECIOUS POOCH. Pt. 1-3

I recently published a book entitled, “A Man’s Tribute to His Devoted Dogs” in which I memorialized the lives of two of my dearly departed pooches. While I knew and loved my first dog a full sixty years ago, my memory of her is so diminished that I made little or no attempt to describe her in my little volume. However, in the last couple of decades I have been privileged to know and love a precious Shih Tzu, ‘Buddy’ and a Corgi/? mix named, ‘Lucy.’

And it is about Buddy that I direct my focus.

After my dear little Buddy “crossed the Rainbow Bridge,” I placed a flat, circular memorial tile in our backyard; on the very spot where she so often chose to “take in the rays.” The tile consisted of white clay, and was decorated with the colorful caricatures of lilies and hyacinths.

Shortly after Buddy’s passing, as I was mowing the grass, I noticed that a lone purple bud, accented with a tiny tuff of yellow pollen in its center, had sprung up within inches of the tile. I navigated the mower around the flower, and after I finished my work I took a moment to examine the blossom. And though I don’t recall having ever seen one of this variety, I immediately realized I was looking at a wild violet.

And subsequent to my modest epiphany, a couple of poignant scriptures came to mind.

“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten by God? “  (Luke 12:6)

(and)

“But Jesus replied, ‘It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.’  ‘Yes, Lord,’ she said, ‘ but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.’ ‘O woman,’ Jesus answered, ‘your faith is great! Let it be done for you as you desire.’”  (Matt. 15:26-28)

The inherent value God extends towards animals.

Not one of them is forgotten.

(and)

Even the dogs eat the crumbs beneath their master’s table.

Pt. 2

Try as I might that day, I could not find another wild violet. Of course, the rarity of the little flower, at least in my own backyard, struck me strange, and as you might imagine, I continued to reflect on the beauty and significance of that lovely purple bud throughout the remainder of the day.

Within minutes of having discovered the tiny blossom, a curious thought wafted through my mind.

Not only had our amazing Creator envisioned the existence of that lone little flower before He made the worlds, but given its remote location and brevity of life, and among the billions of souls He’d placed on the earth, …He’d intended it for me!

A decade has come and gone since I ran across that lovely purple blossom, and that circular memorial tile I once placed upon Buddy’s favorite little spot in the sun remains exactly where it was; though faded and worn. Yesterday, as I allowed my latest little pooch to respond to nature’s call, and followed her into the yard, I chanced upon a virtual duplicate of that original little flower, (which fills a solitary space among a myriad of my memories); just inches away from that circular tile.

And I could only wonder at the infinitesimal unlikelihood of finding another flower of its kind in exactly the same spot; a full decade after having discovered the original.

My precious Buddy was simply worth it. And perhaps it is because she (yes, she) was worth it that even God has also been willing to affirm her value.

I have often said that our precious pooch completed her mission, whereas there are people who never do.

Once when my wife was home, (and I was not) she heard the garage door go up. At the time, we were (inadvisably) keeping our little tyke in the garage. Apparently, our precious Shih Tzu’s bark caused the intruder to rethink his decision, and the garage door went back down, as quickly as it had gone up. When I returned home, I found several greasy footprints in our driveway.

Pt. 3

Then there was a little season when my wife was experiencing some unexpected emotions, and curiously enough, Buddy began following her wherever she went in the house. Of course, I encouraged Jean to contact her physician, and as a result, a subsequent scan detected the presence of breast cancer.

And there was the time when one of our daughters was in the midst of marital discord, and we’d lent her old bedroom to her. She was inconsolable, and sensing her grief, our precious pooch lingered next to her bed, and refused to leave her side.

I believe God exercises His love not only towards mankind, but animals, as well, and that He takes great pleasure in all that He has made. There is a curious verse in the Old Testament Book of Psalms.

Your righteousness is like the highest mountains,
your justice like the great deep.
You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!  (Psalm 36:6-7)

I have always believed the implication of the Rainbow Bridge is more than a metaphor, and that we may very well see our bless-ed pets again.

I readily admit my abject biasness, but I think if any creature ever merited the opportunity to enjoy the pleasures of heaven, and the eternal presence of a merciful Creator, well, I think Buddy does.

Whether my interpretation of the foregoing scripture bears any credence, whatever, how estimably kind of our Lord to celebrate the value of that little creature I held so dear with that flowery tribute, and how precious that He allowed me to join Him in a momentary memorial to my dearly departed pooch.

Afterward

“Perhaps our Savior will smile, and beckon with His hand, as if to say, ‘Well Bill, there they are. What are you waiting for? There’s fields, and flowers and trees aplenty. Go for it. Romp and run and carry on. Love those wonderful little puppies of yours for all you’re worth.’ And with this, I’ll turn and my most favorite creatures will be looking up at me expectantly; eyes shining, ears twitching and tails wagging.

And with that, my heart will skip a few beats, and I’ll scoop them up in my arms, and they’ll rest contentedly against my shoulders. And best of all…we’ll remember one another, and the love we knew will be undimmed, and stronger for the years we were apart.”

(from “A Man’s Tribute to His Devoted Dogs”)

William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from (Mc)Donald's Daily Diary, Vol. 59. Copyright Pending.

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