Rocky & Shirley
Today's post is about being brave. Rocky was never scared of thunder and lightening, storms, or fireworks. Not until he met his late friend Sammy. Sammy was scared of those things. She was also big, strong, and tough. Rocky knew it. My guess is that if Sammy was so brave and still afraid of those noises, that Rocky should be too, because the noises must be a big deal. Rocky started fearing storms and fireworks.
A few years after Sammy passed, as you know, we decided to adopt a pup from a shelter. The tragedy of Sammy's passing hadn't left us, but we felt as people who have the means to rescue another animal, we should do it. Nine year old Rocky started becoming a chipper young pup again with the new addition to our family. We met her at her foster home, the next morning after her shelter transfer. They called her Shirley. Her sister named Laverne. Laverne was already adopted. Knowing us, we would adopt them both not to separate the sisters. Shirley seemed like she was doing just fine, however. Brave little girl.
She was this little ball of fur, but very muscular with big paws. Shirley is the toughest pup I've ever met (so tough that when she was only about 40 lbs she sent me to the hospital with a contusion - almost broken nose - during "play" - but thats a story for another post).
Spring approached, Shirley's first spring, and accompanying it was the first big thunder storm of the season. Living in the countryside, I now get a taste of storms in a much different way than when I lived in the city. It brings me back to my childhood, the nature that I thought was long gone (global warming, I assumed). In the city, in a third story apartment, you do not get to experience seasons the same way as when you live in the country. This spring storm's thunder rocked the house. I was pretty frightened. Rocky was shaking and I pulled him up onto the chair to sit with me. We both looked at Shirley, who was standing guard. The first thunder boom looked like it gave her a scare. She studied Rocky and me. The next thunder boom happened, now sounding louder than before. Shirley ran off the couch, onto the chair at the window, puffed her chest out, and barked at the storm. She let out a booming thunder of her own, a bark so terrifying that the neighbors might have thought my companion animal is a T-Rex!
Shirley could have chosen to feed off Rocky (the way he did from Sammy) and be afraid of the storm. Instead she chose to be protective; she chose to be brave. She chose to suck it up and fight the thunder. Today's lesson is about bravery. No matter what life throws your way or how many people tell you that you should be cowering from it, choose to face your fears and be brave. Puff up your chest and stand tall. You are tougher than you think. And for now, the Dirty Vegan is signing off.
Shirley - one tough broad
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