Dear Reader:

It was while watching Rutledge try to pat Dakota, the sweet lab that lives next door to me through the fence, that some memory set my neurons tingling. Wasn’t there a story about a man and a dog separated by a barrier that had a great metaphor for life and death in it?

I started just putting words at random on google search and the story popped up titled “The Other Side of the Door.” Bingo, I found it. I have always thought this small anecdote was the perfect metaphor for the age-old question of the mysteries surrounding the after-life.

“The Other Side of the Door”

There was an old country doctor who would take his dog along with him when visiting patients. The dog would remain outside while the doctor went in for the house call.

On one occasion, the physician went to the home of a man with a terminal disease who didn’t seem to have much time to live. The man confessed to the doctor his fears about death and said, “What’s it like when you die?”

The doctor thought for a moment, then got up and opened the front door. His loyal canine friend, who had been waiting patiently on the porch, gleefully bounded in to join his master.

The doctor turned to the dying man and said, “Do you see this dog? He didn’t have any idea what was on this side of that door. All he knew was that his master was there, and he wanted to be with him.”

“That’s how I feel about death,” the physician continued. “I don’t really know all the whats and hows about dying. I’m not totally sure What’s on the other side of that door. But I know Who is there, and that’s enough for me. I’m looking forward to being with my Master.”

………………………………

I will never profess to know the answers to what happens in the after-life but I do know Who is waiting for me, too. I do know that I will leave this world to be with God and that’s enough for me.

Walsh and Mollie and the boys stopped by yesterday…we fixed hamburgers and played….trying to let Dad get few winks in since he had just come off a twelve-hour shift. Mollie and I took the boys out for ice cream…returning with a milkshake for dad.

Waking Dad up with a milkshake!

This week Walsh leaves for Ohio for a customer service meeting with some other administrators from work. Then Mollie and the boys fly out Wednesday for a two-week stay at home with her parents, Marcia and Bruce in New Hampshire. By the time everyone returns it should be just about time to move into their new home….time is flying right now. * A little music….loud music!

Rutledge was my helper in the garden….helping me water the plants and check out his Japanese Maple tree….both he and the tree are growing!

John, Mandy, and the children got back from their Disney vacation last evening…the last vacation to end the summer. Everyone had a great time….but are dreading getting back in the old school/work routine again. It has been a nice summer to relax. *Jakie fell asleep on the boat bringing them back from the Magic Kingdom one afternoon…exactly what you want to happen…he was still holding on to his favorite blanket…”Night Night.”

Beautiful Nala played with me yesterday when I dropped another book off for Anne (we are in the Louise Penny mysteries and loving them…swapping off books.) Nala even walked me to the door and saw me out and stayed there until the car disappeared from sight…love Nala.

* With all the thunder storms we have had recently… the “Dog Days” of late summer should be re-named “The Frog Days” of summer. I never can quite figure out where those big old bullfrogs are but I can sure hear them bellowing away each night after a rain shower.

So until tomorrow…Father reassure all of us that You are waiting on us to arrive one day and we will sense You before we see You.

“Today is my favorite day” Winnie the Pooh

I was very late watering last night…first time I have had to do it in several days with all the thunder storms…so the moon was rising as I was putting the hose back up and all the garden lights were popping on….including the water can lights. Such a magical, mystical, mysterious moon-filled night! Beautiful!