Ghost Dog

From our friend Kerry:

“Hi Susan:

Occasionally I have wished that there was a way on your blog to start a random thread of connection. Do you know what I mean? A spot to go and see what animal subject is being discussed. The eagle pair sighting, the new grand-dog, dragonflies, the dead dog on the side of the road….

Yesterday I was driving south on the Alaska Highway when out of the corner of my eye as I passed, I glimpsed the smooth side of a white dog lying on its back, headfirst into the ditch, one paw raised in rigor mortis into the air. My stomach lurched.

I really had to get where I was going, but my mind was racing. What can I do?! There was a lakeside subdivision nearby, do I go knock on doors and see if someone is missing their dog? An impossibly time consuming job. But what if that was MY sweet dog lying there? What would I want someone to do? By the time all the thoughts had raced through my head, I was well past it. I just kept going to my work, my stomach turning.

When I was done and headed home again, I was thinking of the blog community. What would they do? What would Cindy, or D.B. or Susan do with a dead dog on the side of the road? Do I shift it back up onto the road so it can’t get missed by whoever is looking for it?

I decided to stop and shift its body to at least give it a more dignified position to rest than headfirst in a ditch. I also imagined all of you saying prayers for it, and thought I would do that on behalf of all of us.

When I saw the rounded curve of its body again, I slowed down and pulled over to the side of the narrow highway. And there, without even getting out of my truck, I could see the lifeless white lump on the other side of the road. A 50 lb white bag of sand. The white gathering of plastic sticking up above its metal twist tie, very much like a little paw. Oh.  Thank. Gawd!!!! What a relief! My whole body finally relaxed. It was almost funny, almost. But mostly I was just thankful.

And I wished I could talk to the girls on the blog and say “Girlies, what would you have done? The next time I see a dead pet on the side of the road, what to do? Has this happened to you and how did you deal with it?”

So, I was thinking of you all yesterday, wishing I had a place to write randomly without attaching it to your pond musings. Everything has turned out well though, and even writing this to you has eased my desire to connect…

Thanks Susan,

Kerry

Oh! and P.S. did the essences arrive? 🙂

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5 Responses to Ghost Dog

  1. D.B. says:

    Kerry,
    I love the idea of a transfer point on Susan’s blog to share about specific animal issues, although I think this may already be Susan’s intention as it reads today.

    My notion, and I would almost guess that cindy and Susan might also say is what you thought was a dog hit by a car aside the road to die without ceremony was although a false alarm a truer bell ringer that you have just “dialed up” on your awareness of the beasts, or they have “dialed” you!.

    I would stay tuned because now the time will come when you can pull over and you can help. All good stuff, the sand bag was a kind of training prop maybe.

    What would I have done? Just what you did; pulled over moved the dog to a better place and sent out the call to the universe and my fellow friends to bless this one and all that get the idea to “cross the road”!

    Not to run on but as I read your note I felt that tug in my heart that reminded me of the strong but certain flow of love I have for all of us 2 legs, 4 legs…

    Hugs to you Kerry, please send us some Summertime Yukon photo’s!

    D.B.

    On a side note: I have a fresh batch of baby toads all over the place, many the size of an eraser heads?! Lola my beloved dog can’t stop herself from nudging them with her nose. She is always surprised when they hop and finds their energy to climb over a leaf or stick impressive! As my Cherokee Grandmother would say “North, South,East,West, Above,Below,Within” Be happy for each day and the things you see. x0xx0

    • Susan McElroy says:

      Hi D.B.–I’m trying to see if I can set up a “forum” on my blog/website where we could get some running chats going. For now, I’m just going to post things sent to me, and we can dialogue from each post for now, okay?
      PS–anyone got a better idea??

  2. Cindy says:

    Hi everyone!

    I, too, vote for a special place within the blog where we can post animal stories, or anything else that may be of interest to the like minded community we have here. A forum type set-up would allow for us to start a thread and have it open for comments. Just a thought, it is your blog Susan and whatever you’d like to do….I’ll happily agree!

    Kerry…..In regards to the “dead” dog on the road……I laughed out loud when the truth of the situation was revealed! I can only imagine your relief when you saw the mistake. A happy mistake too, as I’m sure you weren’t looking forward to moving a dead dog around. But, yes, I have done the same thing, gone back moved a dead dog out of the road, usually so it wouldn’t keep getting hit and to restore some dignity to it’s body. It’s funny because three days ago I saw a rather large dead turtle, the sweet old soul, lying on it’s back on the center line of the street. I stopped, went and picked it up, put it in a box I happened to have in the back seat, brought it home to bury in my back yard. I did my ceremonial sage burning over him. I always do this, I have since I was taught how by an old Indian woman when I was five. I’ve buried many critters in our back yard. Thank goodness it’s a big back yard, because as my husband has joked before…”Let’s just hope the next people who ever live hear don’t start excavating. It would look like we were, umm, criminals or something”. I can only imagine what someone would think finding all sorts of different bones in the yard. Oh, our yard sounds creepy now, doesn’t it? Not really. It’s a beautiful, peaceful place….the last resting spot for many a homeless, helpless animal.

    You did the right thing Kerry, and I’m touched you thought of us. I send out prayer each morning to any and everyone, known and unknown who may be in any kind of need. I’m glad you tapped into it. Go with your heart, always. Always……

    Love to you all…..I enjoy reading the new posts. You’re all wonderful!

  3. D.B. says:

    Side note to Susan’s question about how to post specific animal chats…
    This site is really ready and open now, we just maybe need to remind/encourage each other to share the stories and the needs…

    Just started raining gently here in Northern Michigan and the sound is so wonderful! Nature is the most splendid Symphony!

    Wishing you all a day of good sounds and warm feelings!

    Hugs,
    D.B.

  4. Cindy says:

    Hi again..

    I wanted to expand on something I said in the last post. Along with my daily meditation and prayer sent out to all in need, I wanted to say that I know you all do this in your own way too. I’m glad to know when someone taps into that universal help that is always available to us. It’s touching to know the good energy is actually felt by those we know….and I’m quite sure, by those we don’t know. When I ask for help or guidance I trust all the good sent out prayerfully into the world is going to provide comfort and answers, not always in my preconceived way, but in the best way and for the higher good. Mostly it’s a gentle assurance that “all will be well”. When I feel this sense of comfort, I smile to think the goodness sent out into this Universe has found it’s way to me, at the perfect time and in the perfect way. And I know it finds it’s way to all who reach out as well.

    I’m asking and receiving today, as I write, and I’m grateful……

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