Just Be Thankful

I was sitting on the couch, taking a short break from household chores & watching Lucy ont he chair.  I smiled.  She had her back to me, her little body comfortably curled up and her chine resting ont he top rung of the chair.  Her ears were straight up and her head calmly turned tot he left, to the right, back to the left.  Her ears would occasionally twitch or adjust as children made their way home from school or as each car passed our window.  Lucy reminded me of a sentinal, poised to keep watch on everything that within her view through the mini blinds. 

And it made me smile.  I'd often considered moving the chair so I could place the bird cage there & our poor little cockatiel could get more direct sunlight.  But I could never do that to poor Lucy.  This is her job, her security.  Once abused, neglected and starved, she has found her purpose in life.  Now well fed, she protects this house and all who live here.  Another purpose she has found is pure love.  She is so in love with affection that if she doesn't get enough of it, she will remind you right smack dab in the middle of the room, on the carpet.

Small and skinny as she is, Lucy believes herself to be as big and mean as a Doberman.  If a stranger, or even a friendly walks into that door, she will bark so hard that her entire four pound body lifts from the floor.  She's ripped into strangers' pant legs and snarled at the cat, and yes, these things are aggravating but later on, it makes me smile.  Just the image of her tiny self going after a 150 pound man will make you laugh and show you just how tough she can be.

I gazed at Lucy as she kept watch over our street and was almost overcome with gratefulness.  I do not have any friends, but I have this little dog who, as often as she agitates me, as many times as she wakes me up at night because she snarling and snapping at the other pets, makes me smile.  I am grateful for the oppurtunity to be able to smile.