As I was
preparing to write this story, (and as I often do) I went to the internet, and
brought up a series of articles related to my topic.
In this case
wild violets.
And as I
googled the subject of my quest, the first item at the top of the list was,
“How to get
rid of wild violets in your yard.”
And I
thought,
“Why would I
want to get rid of them?”
(and)
“I happen to
like them.”
(and)
“I happen to
like them a lot.”
I mean, I
purposely mow around a 2x2 foot clump of the little things in my back yard.
Of course,
as you might expect, there’s more to the story, and for anyone who is a fan of
my blogs, you may remember my having written about the topic before.
Yesterday,
as I stepped outside to survey my woodsy quarter acre, I glanced to my right
and noticed a tiny clump of lovely wild violets were in bloom. Twelve or
fifteen of the small purple blossoms greeted my eyes; held up by rich green
leafy shoots.
And, as
always, I paused to reflect on a precious little Shih Tzu named, ‘Buddy’ which
I was privileged to know and love for the space of a decade.
And as I
have inferred in the past, when she left us, (Yes, ‘Buddy’ was a her) I
installed a circular decorative tile on this spot to commemorate her.
For it was
here that our precious pooch so often resorted to “take in the rays.”
Pt. 2
Perhaps I
have chosen to “read more into it,” but I am convinced that the proximity of
the wild violets to the place Buddy loved the best is no coincidence or
mistake. I believe it was an “on purpose” sorta thing which has its roots with
Providence, and was (drum roll) planned before the earth was breathed into
being.
I know
that’s “saying a lot” and I realize it’s a lot to take in, but I’m convinced
that Buddy was simply worth it, and that our Lord was thinking of her
…before He
made the worlds.
I mean, I’ve
written about my little Buddy before, and without going into great detail again
suffice it to say that I think my precious pooch fulfilled her mission on this
earth; whereas many human beings never do.
There was a
time when her incessant barking caused a would-be burglar to flee. There was a
time when she refused to leave my daughter’s side when she was grieving the
loss of a marriage. There was a time when she followed my wife around the
house, ‘til she submitted to a physical exam by which a malignant tumor was
detected early, and she has been allowed to live out a long and productive
life.
Yes, my
Buddy was worth it, and I think our Lord agreed with me before I ever knew the
bless-ed creature.
There is a
particular verse in the Book of Psalms which provides some evidence of the
Creator’s love and affirmation for both his human and animal creations, and His
promise that I will see my Buddy again one day.
Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the
great deep. You, LORD, preserve both people and animals. (Psalm 36:6)
Afterward
No, I don’t believe the presence of
those lovely wild violets, next to that circular decorative tile in my
backyard, is a coincidence or mistake. I will always think of this place as a
Providential tribute to one of His wonderful little creations named Buddy.
I like to think of that wild,
uncultivated patch of purple blossoms as God’s own memorial for a life well
lived, and for a creature He loved more than I ever could.
by William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from (Mc)Donald's Daily Diary, Vol. 45. Copyright pending.
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