White Dog, sitting with me, looked across the room. “You do
accomplish miracles, momma,” she said. She was watching YoYoMa soundly sleeping
on his back with legs in the air. WD wrongly credited me with the fact that he
was at peace, softly snoring…as the wind howled outside rattling the windows,
sending branches scraping across the roof, making the trees groan and the light
poles grind as they bobbed.
Not so very long ago a night like this would have sent poor
Yo into a panic, shaking and hiding and moaning in fear. When he first joined
the White Dog Army thunder, rain and wind storms required us to give him an
herbal calming compound, to keep him at our sides, and to provide constant
reassurance. He has a Thundershirt that helped although I cannot remember the
last time he gratefully licked my hand as I strapped him into it.
Somewhere along the days flowing into weeks flowing into
months Yet Another White Dog has found the strength to face his fear. And to
realize that the noises will not hurt him.
Some days I feel like I am Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof when
he sings “Sunrise, Sunset.” Is this the goofy blind boy I rescued? When did he
grow to be so wise.
YoYoMa has been from his very first moments in my arms the
one that no matter what can make me laugh. His gusto for life is infectious as
he pushes headlong into every environment taking the bumps and refusing to be a
victim. HE is the one that ventures out with Steve to run the streets of our
neighborhood in the pursuit of fitness. He is clearly the stud he was bred to
be…at least in spirit.
But something has happened over the daysweeksmonths and now
years (this May he will have been with us 3 years). YoYoMa has discovered his
inner Zen, it seems. Like overcoming his fear of winds, he has grown more
patient when Oso stumbles and falls into him. He is confident enough that he
can walk away from confrontation without it being defeat. He has developed a thoughtfulness
that makes me think my goofy frat boy has graduated magna cum laude. White Dog
recognizes this and relies on him to be her Number One.
Blessedly, he still retains the ability to be goofy and often
has me kissing his nose with tears streaming down my face from laughing so
hard. But he also can sit serenely next to me and radiate control of his world,
like those lions sitting next to the king’s throne. Or wave his legs in the air
like Superman as he sleeps through a stormy night.
“You are giving the credit to the wrong person, Little One,”
I tell White Dog. “The credit goes to Yo.” “But momma, if you did not make us
feel safe, loved and full of potential, none of us would be what we are. “ “Sweet
One, all any of the WDA ever needed was a family that believed in each of them.
What has been accomplished we have done together, as one.”
5 comments:
Beautiful. I understand the feeling all too well.
YoYo you ROCK!!
Your blog can so often bring me to happy tears!
YoYo Ma, I helped name you, I think, and feel pride in your accomplishments, just like I do with Stella!
Cheers,
Jo, Stella and Zkhat
the best part of adoption is becoming a part of a family that makes you the best that you can be :)
Peaceful, safe and happy is the most wonderful gift!
That is simply beautiful. We love that the love you all share has the ability to transform and heal.
Big hugs to you all, dear friends.
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