Read Gerri's Leaf Story
ON THE PATH...
thoughts along the way
And they called it puppy love Oh I guess they’ll never know How a young heart really feels And why I love him so. Paul Anka
Ever had one of those days when you planned things to go a certain way then suddenly life throws you a curve ball and you have to shift gears? This happened recently and I found it was a time to release my expectations, go with the flow and allow divine guidance and timing to take over. My friend and editor Cindy has a cute, loving yorkiepoo named Boo that she wrote about several months ago. She got him when he was only four-months-old. Cindy stopped by to have “Auntie Gerri” meet Boo before she brought him to his new home. We took to each other right away. He is so cute and adorable. I loved his name and would constantly be saying Boo Boo… in a sing-songy way, driving Cindy crazy. Whenever Cindy goes out of town, I watch him. We bond more and more each time. Boo and I always have fun together. He turned one-year-old in November 2007. One time when I was watching him I felt a stronger sense of bonding between us. I felt like Boo Boo was mine. When Cindy returned from her trip, she told me she felt the same thing. She even felt a little guilty taking him home. She told her friend Kim that it felt like she was taking Boo away from me. Cindy decided at that moment that she was going to buy me a little dog of my own. She said I needed a little puppy to love who would unconditionally love me. She looked online and found the kennel that Boo came from in Ohio. We printed a picture of the little puppy. He was so cute, just like little Boo looked when he was younger. I have never had a puppy of my own. When I was a little girl we had two little dogs at different times. When my children were little, we had family pets. Now I would be having a little Boo all my own. I was stuck on the cute name Boo Boo and wasn’t sure of what to name my soon-to-be little yorkiepoo. Monday morning came when Cindy, Kim and I were going to Ohio to pick up my little black puppy. It was a four-and-a-half hour drive. We called to get directions and they told us the puppy had been sold on Friday night. I guess there was a mix up and one owner forgot to tell the other. When Cindy called to tell me the news, I was devastated. I had sent so much love to this little puppy in Ohio. I even bought him a cute little bed and red collar with a matching leash. Cindy got on the computer and found another pet shop that had little yorkiepoos. I still had my heart set on a little black one, just like Boo. What a switch in plans. We were now heading in another direction closer to home in search of a puppy. We walked in and asked to see their yorkiepoos. They didn’t have any at that time but asked if we wanted to see any of the other puppies. They brought out a couple and placed them in a little fenced area. They kept bringing out only one at a time to show to us. Kim asked, “Where are all the cute ones, are you hoarding them?” We all laughed. The woman brought a couple more out. None of them seemed right. I called the woman in Ohio again. She said she hadn’t talked to the man yet from New York who had purchased the other puppy. She then put me on hold. I waited and waited. The sound of little puppies playing and barking in the background filled the pet shop. Something inside me said, “hang up the phone.” At that moment I released the idea that it had to be a black yorkiepoo from my mind and hung up. I watched the puppies frolicking around together. Everything was a blur at this point, almost like I was being taken along in the flow of life. I had let go. I was now open to make another choice. The woman brought out several more. One little puppy seemed so sweet and playful. I’ve always loved scruffy looking puppies. I asked to hold this one. He was so soft and cuddly with white soft hair and two small caramel markings on his back and at the top of his ears. The tips of his ears were black. He was like a gentle little rag doll, as I held him in my arms like a baby. His black eyes and nose stood out against his cute little white face. Cindy and Kim both held him. We all liked his temperament and the way he interacted with the other puppies. We had all fallen in love with this little guy. Kim asked me if I still had my heart set on a black yorkiepoo and I told her “No, I’m past that.” I put the puppy down to walk around and talk to the owner. At that moment this little puppy apeared between my boots and looked up at me. Kim said “Well I guess he chose you!” And I said, “And I also choose him! He is just what I want.” What a total switch for me. This little puppy was different than I had imagined. I let go of what I thought I’d wanted. I tried to make it happen by calling the woman in Ohio, but it wasn’t meant to be. This was meant to be. On the drive back home, I hummed a lullaby to comfort the little guy. I wanted him to feel secure with me as I held his tiny body close to me. After all, I was his new mama! He was three-and-a-half-months old. A couple days later, I took him to a pet store. While we were there, an exuberant woman asked me, “Oh, he is so darling, what is his name?” I told her I didn’t have a name yet. I’d only had him for two days. “Why don’t you call him Darling?” Then a man came up and asked me what his name was. I told him the same thing. He said, “Why don’t you call him Joe?” We all laughed as people gathered around wanting to name him for me. He is a scruffy puppy I told them. I’ve always wanted a stuffed animal just like him. He’s like a little stuffed animal come to life. I toyed with many different names and was having a hard time deciding because he is all of them wrapped into one cute package. He is soft, cuddly, fluffy and playful. Some of the names I considered: cutie pie, happy, sugar, darlin', cutie pie face, scruffy, muffin, scruffin, scruffer, rag-a-muffin, honey, fluffy, cuddles and others. On Christmas Day my niece Dawn was laying on the couch, holding and loving him. She blurted out, “Why don’t you call him Scruffy Muffertin?” It fit! So he became Scruffy Muffertin. He is perfect for me. He has brought such joy into my life. I didn’t even know I wanted a puppy until I fell in love with Cindy’s. He is always giving me puppy kisses and frolicking and pouncing on things. We play on the floor together. He has given me a renewed sense of aliveness. I took him to visit my neighbor Connie that I have known since I was four-years-old. Connie is 91 years old. She never had any children of her own so we were always her children. She held little Scruffy on her lap and petted him as we talked. Then she held him to her chest and rocked and continued petting him. I thought of how nurturing it is to hold and love a little puppy like this for elders who have no pets and who live alone or are in nursing homes. Scruffy has been with me for a little over a month now and I have enjoyed every day with him. With this decision to have a puppy – this puppy – I knew that I needed to let go of my desire to control the outcome of this situation. It was time to turn the reins over to God. If I could simply let go of the illusion that I could do things better myself, I just might get myself out of the way and there would be no telling what I might reach or where I would be guided. I went from expecting a black yorkiepoo to finding a white pekichon. Some special little girl has a little black puppy to love and I was meant to have my little white puppy. All in divine order. There is so much I’ve learned from having this little bundle of joy in my life. He’s taught me about unconditional love and I’m spreading the joy he gives me to others. He’s my baby. I’ve bought him sweaters to keep him warm this winter and I’m really having fun spoiling him. It’s like having a baby all over again. But this one I walk on a leash and let outside. He is truly a companion who has enhanced my life. What a perfect match! Animals mean so much to so many people and are a joy to have around. I lost my lovebird Ralphie last June. I had him for 12 years, but he is still in my heart and I visit him often in my backyard. No one will ever take his place. We become attached to these animals/pets and they to us. I have a new love. His name is Scruffy Muffertin and what a joy he is, expressing unconditional love at its highest! This Valentine’s Day, may you find a new love… even if he is a dog!
Ever had one of those days when you planned things to go a certain way then suddenly life throws you a curve ball and you have to shift gears? This happened recently and I found it was a time to release my expectations, go with the flow and allow divine guidance and timing to take over.
My friend and editor Cindy has a cute, loving yorkiepoo named Boo that she wrote about several months ago. She got him when he was only four-months-old. Cindy stopped by to have “Auntie Gerri” meet Boo before she brought him to his new home. We took to each other right away. He is so cute and adorable. I loved his name and would constantly be saying Boo Boo… in a sing-songy way, driving Cindy crazy. Whenever Cindy goes out of town, I watch him. We bond more and more each time. Boo and I always have fun together. He turned one-year-old in November 2007. One time when I was watching him I felt a stronger sense of bonding between us. I felt like Boo Boo was mine. When Cindy returned from her trip, she told me she felt the same thing. She even felt a little guilty taking him home. She told her friend Kim that it felt like she was taking Boo away from me. Cindy decided at that moment that she was going to buy me a little dog of my own. She said I needed a little puppy to love who would unconditionally love me. She looked online and found the kennel that Boo came from in Ohio. We printed a picture of the little puppy. He was so cute, just like little Boo looked when he was younger.
I have never had a puppy of my own. When I was a little girl we had two little dogs at different times. When my children were little, we had family pets. Now I would be having a little Boo all my own. I was stuck on the cute name Boo Boo and wasn’t sure of what to name my soon-to-be little yorkiepoo.
Monday morning came when Cindy, Kim and I were going to Ohio to pick up my little black puppy. It was a four-and-a-half hour drive. We called to get directions and they told us the puppy had been sold on Friday night. I guess there was a mix up and one owner forgot to tell the other. When Cindy called to tell me the news, I was devastated. I had sent so much love to this little puppy in Ohio. I even bought him a cute little bed and red collar with a matching leash. Cindy got on the computer and found another pet shop that had little yorkiepoos. I still had my heart set on a little black one, just like Boo.
What a switch in plans. We were now heading in another direction closer to home in search of a puppy. We walked in and asked to see their yorkiepoos. They didn’t have any at that time but asked if we wanted to see any of the other puppies. They brought out a couple and placed them in a little fenced area. They kept bringing out only one at a time to show to us. Kim asked, “Where are all the cute ones, are you hoarding them?” We all laughed. The woman brought a couple more out. None of them seemed right. I called the woman in Ohio again. She said she hadn’t talked to the man yet from New York who had purchased the other puppy. She then put me on hold. I waited and waited. The sound of little puppies playing and barking in the background filled the pet shop. Something inside me said, “hang up the phone.” At that moment I released the idea that it had to be a black yorkiepoo from my mind and hung up. I watched the puppies frolicking around together. Everything was a blur at this point, almost like I was being taken along in the flow of life. I had let go. I was now open to make another choice.
The woman brought out several more. One little puppy seemed so sweet and playful. I’ve always loved scruffy looking puppies. I asked to hold this one. He was so soft and cuddly with white soft hair and two small caramel markings on his back and at the top of his ears. The tips of his ears were black. He was like a gentle little rag doll, as I held him in my arms like a baby. His black eyes and nose stood out against his cute little white face. Cindy and Kim both held him. We all liked his temperament and the way he interacted with the other puppies. We had all fallen in love with this little guy. Kim asked me if I still had my heart set on a black yorkiepoo and I told her “No, I’m past that.” I put the puppy down to walk around and talk to the owner. At that moment this little puppy apeared between my boots and looked up at me. Kim said “Well I guess he chose you!” And I said, “And I also choose him! He is just what I want.”
What a total switch for me. This little puppy was different than I had imagined. I let go of what I thought I’d wanted. I tried to make it happen by calling the woman in Ohio, but it wasn’t meant to be. This was meant to be.
On the drive back home, I hummed a lullaby to comfort the little guy. I wanted him to feel secure with me as I held his tiny body close to me. After all, I was his new mama! He was three-and-a-half-months old.
A couple days later, I took him to a pet store. While we were there, an exuberant woman asked me, “Oh, he is so darling, what is his name?” I told her I didn’t have a name yet. I’d only had him for two days. “Why don’t you call him Darling?” Then a man came up and asked me what his name was. I told him the same thing. He said, “Why don’t you call him Joe?” We all laughed as people gathered around wanting to name him for me. He is a scruffy puppy I told them. I’ve always wanted a stuffed animal just like him. He’s like a little stuffed animal come to life. I toyed with many different names and was having a hard time deciding because he is all of them wrapped into one cute package. He is soft, cuddly, fluffy and playful. Some of the names I considered: cutie pie, happy, sugar, darlin', cutie pie face, scruffy, muffin, scruffin, scruffer, rag-a-muffin, honey, fluffy, cuddles and others.
On Christmas Day my niece Dawn was laying on the couch, holding and loving him. She blurted out, “Why don’t you call him Scruffy Muffertin?” It fit! So he became Scruffy Muffertin. He is perfect for me. He has brought such joy into my life. I didn’t even know I wanted a puppy until I fell in love with Cindy’s. He is always giving me puppy kisses and frolicking and pouncing on things. We play on the floor together. He has given me a renewed sense of aliveness.
I took him to visit my neighbor Connie that I have known since I was four-years-old. Connie is 91 years old. She never had any children of her own so we were always her children.
She held little Scruffy on her lap and petted him as we talked. Then she held him to her chest and rocked and continued petting him. I thought of how nurturing it is to hold and love a little puppy like this for elders who have no pets and who live alone or are in nursing homes.
Scruffy has been with me for a little over a month now and I have enjoyed every day with him. With this decision to have a puppy – this puppy – I knew that I needed to let go of my desire to control the outcome of this situation. It was time to turn the reins over to God. If I could simply let go of the illusion that I could do things better myself, I just might get myself out of the way and there would be no telling what I might reach or where I would be guided. I went from expecting a black yorkiepoo to finding a white pekichon. Some special little girl has a little black puppy to love and I was meant to have my little white puppy. All in divine order.
There is so much I’ve learned from having this little bundle of joy in my life. He’s taught me about unconditional love and I’m spreading the joy he gives me to others. He’s my baby. I’ve bought him sweaters to keep him warm this winter and I’m really having fun spoiling him. It’s like having a baby all over again. But this one I walk on a leash and let outside. He is truly a companion who has enhanced my life. What a perfect match!
Animals mean so much to so many people and are a joy to have around. I lost my lovebird Ralphie last June. I had him for 12 years, but he is still in my heart and I visit him often in my backyard. No one will ever take his place. We become attached to these animals/pets and they to us.
I have a new love. His name is Scruffy Muffertin and what a joy he is, expressing unconditional love at its highest!
This Valentine’s Day, may you find a new love… even if he is a dog!
Gerri Magee is director of advertising and public relations and assistant to the editor of phenomeNEWS. She continues to share her thoughts “On The Path” in this column. She can be reached at gerri@phenomenews.com.
