Good Things Still Happen
by Patrice Joy Masterson, MA
In times of tragedy and uncertainty, we can all use an inspiring story of reunion. My husband Frank and I adopted a little dog from Carrollton Foster Care Shelter at Thanksgiving. We tell everyone how thankful we are to have such a loving, playful new family member. Buffy followed Frank everywhere, but her devotion could not prevent the need for his vascular surgery from circulatory problems in his right leg. Right after the first of the year we got a call from our good friends Pat and Julian Marsh that they had a dog who adopted them. They advertised several times and were still trying to find the owners of the cute little guy in March. The chain of events that followed is what some may call miraculous. Frank’s friends became part of a unique, circle of healing.
Following Frank’s hospital stay, Caretenders’ Home Care Agency sent an RN to be a part of his rehab program that the doctor recommended. On her second visit the nurse and Frank began to talk about how Buffy had been so much comfort during his health crisis. Leah, the RN, showed Frank a picture of their little dog, Flash that their family lost New Year’s Day. She explained that they had both parents and the children had decided to keep this one puppy. They had all been devastated since his loss. Ironically Frank’s nurse had a picture of the dog that he recognized as the same one his friends had been sheltering for the past few months! When Frank told her this, they immediately called the Marshes to see if she could see the dog. Pat answered and said, “Sure, come on over.” What a reunion of tail wagging and doggie kisses! Leah said Flash became a celebrity overnight as neighbors came to welcome him home. She commented he is a couch potato who proved his contentment as he slept belly up on the sofa.
Who would ever imagine that three months from Flash’s disappearance, a conversation with Frank’s home care nurse would unite the sweet little puppy with his true owner? It makes you question the uncanny synergistic forces at play to bring together a Good Samaritan act, a health crisis, surgery, a hospital stay, home rehab and the nurse that found her family pet. It reinforces my faith that we are all in this together as the circle of community grows by helping each other.
Patrice Joy Masterson, MA is a Healthy Living Consultant. She offers personalized and group integrative programs at the Harmonizing Health Retreat in Bedford, KY. For more information call 937-631-5581 or go online to http://www.harmonizinghealthretreat.com.