We have a delightful family hobby of raising golden retriever puppies once a year. We’ve owned and loved goldens for 35 years and are dedicated to bringing only the highest quality dogs into the world. The entire family comes together for this project, and we have so much fun with the puppies, raising them with as much love as we can. As part of this hobby, we march in our town’s parade each July 4. We invite as many of our former puppies and their owners as possible to come and march with us. This is definitely a small town parade, with children on bikes, antique cars, local bands, dancing troupes, and seven or eight dog groups. Although blue ribbons are given for the best entries, we are totally unattached to winning.
The dog groups all gather in the parking lot of the local veterinary clinic. Our family and three of our four dogs arrive first and wait for the other goldens and families (we leave home one senior dog who is not fond of parades). Right next to us was a group of Bernese Mountain Dogs. These are beautiful large black, brown and white dogs. The woman in charge of them told me that all of her dogs were famous champions, well known in the show circles. They travel all around participating in parades all over California. I looked at her elaborate set up, with signs, flower harnesses for the dogs, a small fire engine for them to pull and each dog immaculately groomed. I looked over at our three dogs and saw Barry and our children brushing away at our dogs trying to remove the weeds and dirt that had collected in their fur from living in the country. No, they were never going to look immaculate. I thought to myself, “Surely this woman with her fire engine, signs, harnesses, and champion dogs will win the prize this year.”
The next group of dogs to arrive was the pugs, all 25 of them. They were being pulled in wagons. The next group were the dachshunds. Each little dog had a darling costume on. They looked cute, but didn’t seem so happy about the clothing.
Eventually eighteen goldens were ready to march. None of them had costumes or decorations, just the pure love in their hearts to offer the crowds of people gathered along the mile stretch of the parade. When we passed the judges’ stand, the goldens all wiggled up to them to give their love. The parade was fun.
The next day we were called and told that we had won first prize in the pet division. I could hardly believe it. Our dogs didn’t have any of the special things the other groups had: elaborate costumes, wagons, accessories, championship show-ring status. The only thing they had was love and enthusiasm, and in the end that was why they won.
All that day I felt how, isn’t this just so true of life. In the end it’s our love, pure and simple, that wins. As humans we often think that we are not enough, just the way we are. Thoughts such as, “If only I had more money, a better degree, more possessions, better clothes, nicer hair, thinner or stronger body, more experience, or a better job. If I had these things or even some of them, then I could be happy and live the life I want. Then I could help other people.” But we ignore the power to love within each one of us, a gift we were born with.
There is a true story of a woman who was dying in the hospital. During the day her friends and family came and brought her too many flowers, candy, and balloons. They ignored the fact that she was dying, pretending that she would come back home soon. They filled the time at her bedside by telling jokes to one another, discussing politics and in general ignoring what was really going on. The woman grew more and more unhappy.
One night the old cleaning woman, Margaret, noticed her and came into her room and sat down. Margaret was in her seventies and had been cleaning the hospital floors at night for fifty years. She had seen death many times. She knew the woman was dying and she knew how to love her best. She reached for her hand and merely said, “I can see that you are suffering. Do you want to talk about it.”
Night after night the woman poured out her heart to Margaret, who merely sat quietly and listened. Margaret wasn’t a trained therapist, doctor, nurse or social worker. She didn’t even have a high school education. She couldn’t afford to bring this woman any flowers or presents. All she did was listen to and love the older woman. In the end it was dear Margaret’s love that helped the woman the most, and helped her to die in peace.
We are more than enough just because of the love in our hearts. We don’t need all the other trappings of life to reach out to another. In the end it is our pure love that wins the prize blue ribbon of life.
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