Just when Doc and I though we would skate through winter with mild temperatures in the Midwest, Mother Nature remined us that she is in charge. Life is like that sometimes, it’s easy to be lulled into thinking that things will turn out the way we want, but the reality is we can only control ourselves and how we choose to respond to life’s events. For example, even as the meteorologists were predicting the storm, we talked smack about how many times they have been wrong in the past. Another way to avoid thinking about what may happen. Then there was the recent death of Betty White. Even though she was about to turn 100 years old, everyone hoped she would live forever, but she exited this earth just 16 days before her birthday, a big loss for those who admired her humor and her work with animals. So what does a winter storm and Betty White have to do with each other, well I will tell you.
As many of you are aware, there was a Betty White challenge to give to the animal shelters in her honor on her birthday. Doc and I thought that donating to to our local shelter would be a worthy cause. The only problem was that the snow storm was to start the night before Betty’s birthday and we didn’t know if the snow would keep us from getting to the shelter the next day. Ever the problem solver, Doc rose early even though we didn’t have to work because it was a holiday. It was still snowing at 7am, but the good news was that the snow plow had already been down our street one time. After breakfast, Doc went out to shovel the driveway. I gave support from the inside cheering her on through the window where I could keep my precious keaster warm.
When Doc had finally gotten the driveway shoveled, we waited until the news said the roads had been cleared and then loaded up the car with some old blankets, treats and I even donated some of my dog toys so the puppies at the shelter would have something to play with. Luckily we made it to the shelter without incident and they were so grateful to receive our donations and all the donations that had come in Betty’s name that day. On the way home I asked Doc, ” Since Miss Betty was such a big dog lover do you think she got to cross over the Rainbow Bridge just like all dogs do when they die?” Doc hesitated for a minute and said, ” Oh Grover I hope so, I can’t think of anyplace that would feel more like heaven to her than that, having all those dogs come to greet her.” ” Just think how many animals she helped because people cherished her and wanted to honor her by helping” ‘ It really is amazing Grover, while you are on this earth you can choose to do good and inspire others or you can just focus on yourself, its up to you what path you choose.”
We got home safely and decided to call it a day. After getting under a warm blanket by the fire, Doc read me a quote by Martin Luther King Jr, another person that chose to inspire and that we also honored on Monday. “ Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”