Holy Dog?

I come from a family with a history of mental illness. My great grandmother was institutionalized and my mother suffered from un-treated bi polar when I was a child. anyhoo, consequenly, I too am treated for depression an anxiety. When my only child (son) moved out unexpectedly (to live with a gf) and left me with a huge electric/telephone bill), I was devastated. I had a "friend" who had one of those households where the cats have taken over. All were ill, covered in fleas, etc.. well, two of the cutest kittens had survived this poor female cats probably 10th litter and I desperately needed someting to love and they desperately needed someone to love them. Both could have fit in a teacup they were that small. I took them home, picked every flea off by hand, bathed them, fed them by hand every 2 hours, took them for shots and held on to them for dear life. They saved my life by giving me something to love. They are now full grown lovlies; Sasha and Chloe and they sense my emotional needs and respond to them sweetly. Their antics keep me smiling and I'll always appreciate how they saved my life.

I found Little Jack Mahoney on my porch having been abandoned by his feral mother. He weighed at most 4 oz, his eyes weren't open, his back left leg didn't work and he was practially hairless. When I picked him up, his purr rocked the porch. I thought his mother would come back for him so I put him back down and went to work. When I came back, I didn't see him so I went inside. Later I heard him crying out there, so I went out and got him, brought him in and told him I'd be his mother. I had to feed him with a syringe and make him go potty with cotton balls and rinse him off under running water and blow dry him. I would smuggle him to work. The vet and my father told me to not get attached, but I had no doubt he would live, in retrospect. He grew hair and turned out to be this wonderful orange/cream tabby with snow white belly and chin and the longest ringed tail I have even seen. I named him Little Jack Mahoney because he started acting like a little Irish pugilist and that is what he is -- a fighter (for life). Also, in retrospect I realized that he showed up one year after my 49 year old husband had died suddenly on our porch, and it was during this time that I realized that he was really gone. Jack gave me something to do with my heart over those months of acceptance that my man was truly gone forever. Today, Jack waits for me at the bottom of the stairs (he weighs 11 pounds now). But what is wierd is that I see the sunset the night my husband died in his fur, around his head, in his eyes. He is a magical kitty for me...and I realized how God is so good to me for giving me Jack when I needed him the most instead of being mad that my husband was taken when I needed HIM the most.

Dogs are loyal, non-judgmental, playful, forgiving, joyful, spontaneous, non-materialistic, protective, nurturing, and completely in touch with their feelings-- everything you could want in a daily companion. In fact, those are qualities to which I aspire! Could a dog be someone's spiritual inspiration, indeed, their guide to God? Absolutely: for all the qualities I just listed.