Good Karma

My cousin was in a bind last week.  She was taking her family up north for the holiday weekend, and she was desperately looking for someone to watch her dog.  Given my affinity for the canine species, I was only too happy to volunteer to spend the weekend with this dog (whom I had never met, but I figured she was harmless). 

Karma

She was indeed harmless.  I spent the weekend there, and in doing so was able to spend a good deal of time with an affectionate yelllow lab named Karma.  Always happy, always wagging her tail, always chewing everything that would stand still, and ALWAYS shedding, Karma instantly reminded me of my late companion Harper (I'm sure you remember her from some previous blogs-- here, here, and here).  I felt an instant connection to this dog, and regardless of my what I was doing to celebrate the holiday weekend, I was always looking forward to getting back to my cousin's house to see Karma.  I'd almost forgotten how wonderful it feels to give all your affection to a dog.  Not only does a dog return the affection, but she will give it back to you ten times over. 

Dogs only want one thing: love.  And Karma was no exception.  It matters not how long you've been gone that day, or whether her dinner was the same food you've given her every day for the last 900 days.  Dogs like Karma adore you because they depend on you.  If you show them one ounce of love/attention, you will likely be their best friend in a nanosecond.  What could be better than a creature who shows unconditional love?  It's a rare thing, that unconditional love.  Humans are certainly capable of magnificent love, but it's not always unconditional because of our human nature.  If you're looking for it, find a dog.  And there you'll find your true and unconditional love.

Not a day goes by where I don't think of Harper and wonder whether things could've turned out differently if I'd done this or if I'd done that.  Although I know it does absolutely no good to obsess over the past, pesky little thoughts still creep up and I constantly regret making the decision to send my little Harper to sleep.  It was a very difficult decision to make -- I still see it as snatching the life away from a creature that loved me infinitely and depended solely on me for everything.

When I accepted the job of dogsitting, I didn't realize that this weekend would mark one year exactly since I lost Harper.  It seemed only right, then, that I should be spending some QT with a dog who reminded me so much of Harper.  Karma... what a fitting name.  Good Karma. 

Thank you, Karma, for being so kind to me :)