10/12/2011
T’was the night before Christmas and all thru the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. Our stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there. The children were nestled all snug in their beds with no thought of their dog that was filling their head. With mom in her kerchief and I in my cap knew our dog was cold, yet didn’t care about that.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, figuring our dog was free of his chain and into the trash. The moon on the crest of the new fallen snow gave the luster of mid-day to objects below. When what to my wondering eyes should appear but Santa Claus with his eyes full of tears. He unchained our dog once ......so lively and quick… last year’s Christmas present now painfully sick.
More rapid than eagles he called the dog’s name and our dog ran to him despite all of his pain. “On Dasher, on Dancer, now Prancer and V***n, on Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen!” To the top of the porch to the top of the wall “Let’s find this dog a home where he will be loved by all.” I knew in an instant there’d be no gifts this year, for Santa had made one thing exceedingly clear. The gift of a dog is not just for the season. We had gotten the dog for all the wrong reasons. In our haste to think of the kids a cool gift there was one very important thing that we missed. A dog should be family, and cared for the same. You don’t give a gift, and then put it on a chain. And I heard him explain as he rode out of sight, “You weren’t given a gift, you were given a life.
A DOG IS NOT JUST FOR CHRISTMAS A DOG IS FOR LIFE!!!!!
