About 10 years ago when I got my first puppy, I met a remarkable woman.
Her name is Joyce.
She lives around the corner from me, not too far away. And she LOVES animals.
Whenever she saw me walking Jack, she would come out to see him, bringing along a dog biscuit from her garage. She didn't own a dog herself, but she kept them stocked for the dogs in the neighborhood.
Our friendship began over our love of animals, but as time went on, I think she came out because she just wanted to chat with me.
Joyce's love of animals isn't limited to dogs. She took in a stray cat and mothered it like it was her own child. She feeds the birds in her backyard. She knows every wild animal that wanders in the woods behind her house. Joyce would warn me when coyotes were around. She knows when a litter of foxes has been born. She loves every living creature. She loves LIFE.
Over the past few years, Joyce hasn't been outside as much. When she did come out, she could only go as far as her front porch - as far as her oxygen tube could reach. She has COPD.
Yesterday, when I was walking the dogs, I saw her husband out walking. I asked him how Joyce was doing and he told me she had been in the hospital for two weeks because she couldn't breathe. But he told me with a smile that she was coming home that night.
When I got home, I found a get-well card to give to her. I also printed out a few pictures to help brighten her day. Then I brought the card over to her husband.
I just got a call from Joyce early this morning. She thanked me for the card, but she LOVED the pictures of the kitten sleeping with the dogs. She has them up on her refrigerator.
Then we talked for about 45 minutes. Joyce told me her lungs are shriveling up from the COPD and she can't expel the carbon dioxide much anymore. Joyce is 70 years young. She asked the doctor how much time she has left, and he didn't give her an answer. She knows it's not very long.
But this vibrant woman who loves life so very much is not depressed. There is no "woe is me" attitude. She fully takes the blame for her condition. Joyce was a smoker for many years, and she knows that she did this to herself.
Joyce is looking forward to a visit from her grandkids in a few weeks. They stay with her for a week every summer. It will probably be the last time they do this. She plans to spoil them while they are here.
And she can't wait to take care of their dog while they are on vacation later this summer, even though she knows being around animals makes it more difficult to breath.
Before she hung up the phone, she asked me to tell everyone I know that it is not worth it to smoke.
So I am.
Her name is Joyce.
She lives around the corner from me, not too far away. And she LOVES animals.
Whenever she saw me walking Jack, she would come out to see him, bringing along a dog biscuit from her garage. She didn't own a dog herself, but she kept them stocked for the dogs in the neighborhood.
Our friendship began over our love of animals, but as time went on, I think she came out because she just wanted to chat with me.
Joyce's love of animals isn't limited to dogs. She took in a stray cat and mothered it like it was her own child. She feeds the birds in her backyard. She knows every wild animal that wanders in the woods behind her house. Joyce would warn me when coyotes were around. She knows when a litter of foxes has been born. She loves every living creature. She loves LIFE.
Over the past few years, Joyce hasn't been outside as much. When she did come out, she could only go as far as her front porch - as far as her oxygen tube could reach. She has COPD.
Yesterday, when I was walking the dogs, I saw her husband out walking. I asked him how Joyce was doing and he told me she had been in the hospital for two weeks because she couldn't breathe. But he told me with a smile that she was coming home that night.
When I got home, I found a get-well card to give to her. I also printed out a few pictures to help brighten her day. Then I brought the card over to her husband.
I just got a call from Joyce early this morning. She thanked me for the card, but she LOVED the pictures of the kitten sleeping with the dogs. She has them up on her refrigerator.
Then we talked for about 45 minutes. Joyce told me her lungs are shriveling up from the COPD and she can't expel the carbon dioxide much anymore. Joyce is 70 years young. She asked the doctor how much time she has left, and he didn't give her an answer. She knows it's not very long.
But this vibrant woman who loves life so very much is not depressed. There is no "woe is me" attitude. She fully takes the blame for her condition. Joyce was a smoker for many years, and she knows that she did this to herself.
Joyce is looking forward to a visit from her grandkids in a few weeks. They stay with her for a week every summer. It will probably be the last time they do this. She plans to spoil them while they are here.
And she can't wait to take care of their dog while they are on vacation later this summer, even though she knows being around animals makes it more difficult to breath.
Before she hung up the phone, she asked me to tell everyone I know that it is not worth it to smoke.
So I am.
That was beautiful Mrs. S
ReplyDeleteLove the message, Gayle. And what a beautiful tribute to your lovely neighbor :) It's truly wonderful how much better animals make us feel.
ReplyDeleteshe sounds like a wonderful woman. im sure she will be surrounded by puppies and kittens in her next life!
ReplyDelete