March 2017 – Page 2

George Bilbo Bumpus. Bobolicious. Bow. Beau…Bo.

My Bo goes by all of these names. Bilbo searches for home. Bumpus is a turkey eating hound from A Christmas Story. Bow is the crown on a gift. Beau is a handsome gentleman caller. George, well honestly, I’m not sure where that one fits in. And, Bobolicious is just plain fun to say.

Bo came crashing into my life on December 25, 2015. Yes, I do mean crashing!! He was already a full grown dog. He had an enormous amount of energy and enthusiasm to spare and to share. He didn’t seem to know that paws and claws belong on the ground. I’m still not certain that he’s completely learned that one.

I live outside of town. Unfortunately unwanted animals are regularly left near homes or along the sides of the road. I can only imagine how abandoned they must feel.

Dogs like him wander until they find someone who looks into their soft eyes and says…yes. Of course, there is also the offering of a good meal. Bo was so thin that I could see every one of his ribs. That is no longer the case. He eats enough to keep four dogs full! His early ways made it clear that he didn’t know what it meant to be part of a family.

The first few days and weeks with a surprise dog are filled with wondering and waiting. Do they have a home? You ask around, check in with the local animal shelter, put up signs. Soon enough you realize there isn’t anyone missing them or looking for them….

It breaks your heart. Then, your thoughts turn towards the future. Will you say yes and make them a part of your life? And if you do, next comes the bestowing of a name. I feel a great responsibility in naming things. It defines what something is as well as what it is not. Some names come more easily than others. Off the top of my head, I can think of 8 different names that I go by depending on who I am with. Four of those were given to me by my parents and another by my brother. That’s five names before I even began school!

Hearing any one of them makes me smile and feel quite warm inside. I belong somewhere. I belong to someone. I think of who first gave it to me. It has created something special between us.

Do you know one reason I took so long to begin wordpress? A name. I had a terrible time choosing a name for my site. They, whoever “they” are, list a great many factors to consider carefully before you start. I got so caught up in what others told me that I should do, that I became paused in midair….unable to begin.

I finally gave up and chose something simple and meaningful to me. To commit is the thing. Or at least I hope it is. To begin somewhere, even if it’s not where you thought it would be. To say, yes…

Welcome home Bo...

****

ellie894 March 13, 2017