Lessons from Lucy Joyful! 

  

rosprynn© 2005

 

 

 

Lucy has earned her keep - sort of! For the uninitiated, Lucy Joy is our german shepherd/human, adopted after we had been burglarized and robbed.  She barks at the mailman, she barks at anyone going by on the sidewalk, she barks if anyone rings the doorbell; she even barks when there is 'no-one' there that I can see. Smile.

 

But this last week she and me both got an interesting lesson - or two or three..

 

I was just returning from a trip to the corner store.  Oooooops. I had left my door keys on the kitchen counter as I ran out the door.  I was going to have to climb through the open window to get in if I didn't plan on sitting outside for days. I had left the windows wide open, knowing I would only be gone a few minutes, and confident Lucy was 'in charge'.

 

As I started to take the screen off the window frame, Lucy raced to the front door and started barking.  I called her from the open window, but she was barking so loudly she didn't hear me.  While I am climbing onto the narrow window ledge, Lucy is focused on the front door, her nose pressed right against the doorframe.  To her, this was obviously the logical thing for her to be doing, since in her lifetime, everybody who visits comes through that door.

 

Meanwhile, I am balanced on the narrow window ledge, listening to her noise. I am also sizing up the distance between the window ledge and the floor.  Trying not to laugh at myself, I see that I have quite the leap to get in.  Hard to think with the Lucy ruckus going on but I manage it and after my leap of faith I go to the door and show Lucy it was me breaking in.  She is very happy to see me, and wags her tail gleefully. She is quite proud of herself too, and we both laugh. (You really haven't lived until you have seen a dog laugh.)

 

But..but...even though the whole episode was over in a few minutes, I was reminded of a few things.  First -  never, ever leave home without keys to get back in!  Duh!!

 

I also had it confirmed for me that Lucy IS on the job, and does defend her home.  Of course, we have to hope that any future burglar only comes through the front door (unlike the original burglar who gained entry through a bedroom window! On that day, we didn't have a Lucy girl to guard the premises!) I also had an a-ha moment myself.  How often are any of us so focused on what we think is an obvious/expected outcome that we 'miss' other opportunities happening around us? 

 

I also had affirmation that I can, indeed, take giant leaps of faith and land on my feet. "I am strong, I am invincible...I can do anything...."  Most of all I was reminded to expect the unexpected, to embrace the unexpected, and keep on laughing all the way.   And yes  - nous somme prêt. Are you?

 

                                              -30-